by Linda Straker
- In March 2023, NIS began advertising sale of several properties
- Land at Morne Rouge, with asking price of EC$6 million, was listed for sale
- Government has taken steps to ensure State owns lands in the south of Grenada that drive tourism products
A parcel of land in Grand Anse which was transferred to the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) as part of a land-for-debt scheme by a former National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration, will be returned to the State as part of the current government’s policy to have strategic Crown lands between Point Salines and Grand Anse beach, which have not yet been sold as freehold, transferred via leasehold.
Prime Minister Mitchell disclosed that his government has taken the policy decision that “any lands that are owned by the State of Grenada, and which have not yet been sold as freehold, will only be transferred via leasehold.”
“We are going to reiterate this by bringing the necessary legislation to Parliament,” he said. He reminded journalists that his 15-month-old Government has taken steps in the past several months to ensure that the State, otherwise referred to as the Crown, owns strategic lands in the south of Grenada island, that drive the tourism product. The area is the location for several hotels and guest houses.
“There is also a small piece of land located in Grand Anse… this land was also Crown land which was transferred to the National Insurance Scheme in a land-for-debt scheme that took place many years ago when the Government transferred several lots of land to the NIS to satisfy debts what were unpaid by the Government to the NIS,” Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell said in a news conference on Tuesday, 19 September 2023. “The NIS in recent times have in fact taken a decision to sell some of these lots of lands so that it can become more liquid… given the strategic locations of this piece of land on Grand Anse, the Government also intervened to ensure that… the Government will become the landlord and the new tenant will be treated with and partnering with the Government,” said the Prime Minister.
A review of the 2021 NIS Annual Report, the latest laid in the Parliament shows that a parcel of land in Grand Anse valued at EC$6 million is among its ownership. However, in March 2023, the NIS began advertising the sale of several properties. A lot measuring 54,450 square feet at Morne Rouge, St George, with an asking price of EC$6 million, was among the properties listed for sale. It is not known if that property was sold or continues to be owned by the NIS.
Loading...
Reload document 
Open in new tab 
I’m sometimes amazed, that actions taken on behalf of the people in the state of Grenada, will motivate someone to write utter nonsense, such as calling out the government to “use with it has in the interest of the country”; to use the author’s phrase. Ah to disguise the lunacy, using infrastructural maintenance as a twist to cover their ignorance or mischief. As if to suggest that requiring prime lands and other properties along Grenada’s southwestern peninsula is insignificant compared to the maintenance of police stations, and bridges as purported. What a daft observation! Apart from the previous wicked administration giving away our invaluable coastal (ecosystems) lands freehold to some Formula 1 driver with a Grenada connection as part of our tourism marketing strategy, without benefiting anything( a damn thing) and other lets in the name of the Citizen By Investment (CBI), vandalism continue to plague our country. I would rather commend the government for making such a sensible decision to protect our national patrimony.
I wish the current administration would do more in using what they have for the better of the country.
Things like the infrastructure of our small island….I.e Bridges,Roads,Sea Port,permanent Buildings like Police Stations,Fire Stations,Libraries and not forgetting Grenlec Offices in other parishes.
Why you didn’t ask the last government. Who did nothing for Grenada. For years and years.