St Kitts and Nevis hands over land titles, advancing sustainability

St Kitts and Nevis: The government of the twin island Federation continues to fulfill its promise of empowering citizens and fostering sustainable development through its ongoing land ownership initiatives. After a successful handing over ceremony in La Guerite on Thursday morning (October 16, 2025), residents of New Amsterdam in St Paul’s and Upper Monkey Hill also received their official land titles the next afternoon. 

The ceremonies were organized by the Ministry of Sustainable development and are a part of the government’s Squatter’s Regularization Project, L.A.N.D Initiative, and Land Regularisation Programme. These initiatives focused on ensuring land security and equal opportunities for the citizens of St Kitts and Nevis. 

The government aims to use these initiatives to proceed with their vision of Pillar 5 - Sustainable Settlements of the Sustainable Island State Agenda (SISA), which aims to empower the families, support communities, and fulfills the government’s goal of a better sustainable St Kitts and Nevis for all.

The ceremony in Upper Monkey Hill, which was presided over by Prime Minister Dr Terrance Drew, marked a step forward in the administration' s effort to bring justice and to instill stability in the lives of long-term residents of the community who have built their homes and raised generations there without proper ownership of the lands. 

Speaking at the event, PM Drew said that the moment “restored dignity and history.” He said the initiative fulfills the government’s promise to empower the people by granting them full legal rights to the properties which the citizens have been developing and maintaining for decades.

“For over a century, these families have lived on lands they call home, today, they finally have the titles and security they deserve. This is dignity restored and history made! Through the Land Regularization Policy, we have begun the journey to ensure that our people receive legal ownership of the lands they have called home for generations. This historic step will empower families to build wealth, achieve security, and know with certainty that their land is legally theirs,” said PM Drew.