NASSAU, BAHAMAS — A family descending from South Andros is decrying the prevalence of land fraud in the country, saying they will no longer sit idly by and watch as their “lawful inheritance” is sold off to unsuspecting buyers.
According to the Flowers family, the land in question encompasses vast tracts of land spanning several hundreds of acres in South Andros and is rightfully the property of Joseph Flowers’ surviving descendants.
The Flowers family has provided strong evidence documenting their clear ownership of the land in question dating back over 100 years, as well as evidence highlighting ongoing litigation. The situation they say has brought deficiencies in the country’s ‘broken’ land registration system to light.
The family hopes their situation may assist others who are unknowingly caught up in land disputes – both local and foreign purchasers.
The issue of land fraud has been prevalent in The Bahamas for decades, with repeated calls over the years for the establishment of a proper land registry so that the owners of registered land can be properly identified by potential buyers, as well as indicate if there are any liens on any given property.
The US Embassy has issued warnings in the past over land fraud in The Bahamas, noting that a number of US citizens who have purchased or sold real estate in The Bahamas have reported tremendous difficulties in the process.
There have been reported cases where owners did not have clear and/or indisputable ownership of the property before selling to new buyers. In some incidents, individuals have appeared after the final sale claiming rights to a particular property resulting in protracted legal disputes.
The government of The Bahamas has been made to step in on occasion to address issues of land fraud, a notable example of which was the Sir Lynden Pindling Estates controversy which affected dozens of families.
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