LANDOWNERS WARNED TO KEEP LOTS CLEARED

Householders who fail to keep their land maintained could soon face financial penalties as the government moves to enforce new laws targeting overgrown properties across Barbados.

Minister of the Environment Adrian Forde announced that amendments to the Health Services Act, which take effect November 1, will empower authorities to issue fines to landowners who leave their lots “in a disused state”.

Once notified, owners will have 21 days to clean their land. If they fail to do so, they will face an administrative penalty of $300, with an additional $10 charged for each day the lot remains overgrown.

“We cannot have the most beautiful island in the Western Hemisphere unless we equally have all of Barbados working together to achieve this clean and green philosophy,” Forde told reporters at Warrens Tower II. He said it was “unfortunate” that legislation was needed but stressed, “one thing that is absolutely clear is that government must govern.”

The minister urged Barbadians to take responsibility for all land they own, not just the property surrounding their homes. “This is not being responsible,” he said. “It’s unfortunate the government had to legislate this because we believe that this should be imbued in all of us as a patriotic sense of duty.”

Minister in the Ministry of Health Davidson Ishmael said the measure will provide long-awaited relief to residents. “I receive calls almost daily from persons who are simply annoyed and frustrated because of overgrown lots next to or around them,” he said, warning that the issue is also a public health risk. “Mosquitoes don’t stay where the overgrown lot is.”

Project leader Ronald Chapman said the new approach will “speed up the process” and tighten cost recovery. Environmental health officers will monitor districts daily, and a public hotline is being set up to report nuisance lots.