St Vincent making all efforts to buy private island of Balliceaux

The Government of St Vincent and the Grenadines is making a concerted effort to buy a small private island by the name of Balliceaux.

As per reports, the Government is currently following procedures to gain an estimated value for the island by requesting the Chief Surveyor to assess the island.

Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves said that if the deal is not possible, St Vincent and the Grenadines will look into invoking the Laws of Acquisition.

Notably, March 14th is celebrated as the death anniversary of Joseph Chatoyer, a national hero in St Vincent and the Grenadines. On the very same day, roughly one year ago, the government began discussions surrounding Balliceaux, as the island was said to be up for sale.

The ensuing conversation has made the matter a significant one for the government which has spent a year discussing methods to proceed with regards to Balliceaux.

 “It's as though there are some forces out there who just want to get us upset and affect our equilibrium,they put out these prices for Balliceaux, some agency which probably wants to sell it or given instructions by the owners to sell, I don’t know, 20 million, 25 million, five years before it was 10 million dollars. They are just calling numbers off the top of their head," Prime Minister Gonsalves.

Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves has made it apparent that the government is aware of Balliceaux’s owners having remained the same since 1920, going by most estimates.

His perspective on the matter is that in the current climate, where nations are debating reparations for genocides and the enslavement of African natives with an increased fervor, it is but natural for St Vincent and the Grenadines to address the matter of Balliceaux.

The island is said to be of great importance to St Vincent and the Grenadines and has experienced no changes to the status quo for over 100 years.

A bone of contention for St Vincent and the Grenadines is the fact that the owners of the island have failed to develop it and failed to find a suitable buyer who could develop the island, leading to its stagnation.

Significance of Balliceaux Island

Resting Place of Indigenous Ancestors: The island is the final resting place of 2,500 Garifuna and Kalinago souls who were awaiting to be transported against their will to Roatan Island in the Bay of Honduras but never made it there.

Understandably, that makes the island culturally significant to St Vincent and the Grenadines in more ways than one, as the nation looks to grapple with and rise out of the shadows of its dark history.

St Vincent & the Grenadines' Approach

Prime Minister Gonsalves approach on the matter is quite simple, if the island is to be developed, it must pay homage to its history in the form of a historical site, or a national monument to commemorate those that lost their lives on the island.

Beyond that, PM Gonsalves also plans on undertaking other ambitious projects to bring the island up to speed with modern times and make it an invaluable addition to the nation.

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He has also stated that he has requested the Chief Surveyor to assess the island and present to him a valuation, in accordance with predetermined parameters.

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PM Gonsalves is also in touch with the lawyer of the individual who is said to hold the deed to the island and has requested that the title to the island be authenticated before St Vincent and the Grenadines makes a definitive decision about how to proceed with regards to acquiring it.

 “I’m not doubting anybody’s title. I’m just saying if government is buying anything or negotiating for it... and if we can't agree... it's an important national historical site memorial... we will have to go to the Cabinet for consideration for the acquisition and then we work through the law, the tribunal for assessment," Prime Minister Gonsalves.

He has also stated unequivocally that the government of St Vincent and the Grenadines will address the issue surrounding Balliceaux in a definitive manner, by the 14th of March, 2024.

The acquisition of the island would be a great development for St Vincent and the Grenadines and will be seen as a reclamation of the nation’s history and culture. Having said that, the circumstances surrounding the acquisition are such that some observers might consider the it a coup, which could not be further from the truth.

This is because Balliceaux is in close proximity to St Vincent and the Grenadines and presents with a great cultural significance to the nation, making it an important part of the region’s progression through history and where it finds itself in today’s times.