The acquisition of land has always been the desire of most Barbadians. Our people – the black working class, who make up the majority of our citizens, were not blessed with inheritances that allowed them to benefit from this form of generational wealth.For the most part, the history of poor Barbadians saw them living in chattel houses on tenantries owned by plantations, and over time, through hard work and determination, personal and communal savings of families, they were able to purchase land and construct more permanent residences.Today, the desire for land and home ownership is still very strong. Unfortunately, the conditions under which average citizens are asked to secure houses and land are much more challenging.Chief among the challenges are exorbitant land and house prices. It has become extremely difficult to purchase land by simply saving for the purchase. Most new developments in desirable districts of St Michael, Christ Church, St Philip, St James, and St George, for example, are incredibly pricey.
