Can the people of SVG lose Chatham Bay lands again?

By Admin. Updated 9:26 a.m., Tuesday, April 28, 2026, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4). 

The story of Chatham Bay on Union Island is not one of speculation or sentiment, but of record: hard-fought, litigated, and ultimately settled at the highest levels of the law. Any discussion about its future must begin with the facts.

In 2007, the Government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, under the Unity Labour Party (ULP) administration, secured a decisive High Court victory in its bid to recover more than 100 acres of prime beachfront land at Chatham Bay. That decision did not stand in isolation. It was upheld on appeal, in 2010, and in 2013, the matter reached its legal conclusion before the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in London, the country’s final appellate court.

The Privy Council’s ruling effectively ended a nearly seven-year legal battle between the State and private American developers, namely Chatham Bay Club Ltd. and Chatham Bay Development Corporation. The court ordered that the lands be returned to the State, while also affirming that the companies should be reimbursed for their original purchase and accrued interest. Specifically, the Government was directed to repay approximately US$244,968.87—comprising the initial purchase price of EC$477,000 (about US$176,672.42) and interest calculated at five per cent from January 2006.

Crucially, the companies withdrew their final appeal before the Privy Council, allowing the earlier rulings in favour of the Government, by both the High Court and the Eastern Caribbean Court of Appeal, to stand. The legal effect was clear and unambiguous: ownership and control of the Chatham Bay lands reverted to the State.

Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves described the outcome as a “nationalist victory”, framing it as the reclamation of national patrimony. That characterisation, while political in tone, reflects a legal reality: the land is no longer in private hands.

Beyond the courtroom, Chatham Bay carries environmental and social weight. The area is associated with the Union Island gecko, an endangered species endemic to the island, underscoring the ecological sensitivity of the site. Its natural beauty also makes it one of the most valued recreational spaces in the southern Grenadines. Historically, however, access to parts of the beach had been restricted during the period of private ownership, an issue that amplified public concern and helped shape national interest in the case.

So where does that leave Chatham Bay today?

On the facts, no evidence has so far surfaced that ownership has reverted to private developers since the 2013 ruling. The land is still thought to remain under State control, secured through a final and binding judicial process. But, Former Prime Minister and Opposition Leader Dr. Ralph Gonsalves has publicly asked whether the lands have been quietly sold. Only the government can answer that question at this point.

Ownership alone does not determine destiny. The future of Chatham Bay will depend on policy choices, how the State manages, protects, and potentially develops the land. That includes balancing environmental preservation, public access, and sustainable economic use. These are not legal questions, but governance ones.

The history of Chatham Bay offers a clear lesson: vigilance matters. The people of Union Island lost access once, not through neglect, but through legal transfer and development pressures that were only reversed after years of litigation. Today, the land is known to be secure in law. Whether it remains secure in practice will depend on transparency, planning, and continued public interest.

So, what is the future of Chatham Bay lands? Can we lose them again?

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