Old lady lays claim to Six Men’s
Violet Beckles, 91, showing her title deed, allegedly proving that she is the owner of the 240 acres of land at Six Men’s St Peter.
by MARIA BRADSHAW
THE WOMAN who laid claim to the land on which Kensington Oval stands says she also owns the controversial estate at Six Men’s, St Peter.
Violet Beckles, 91, of King Street, The City, who is said to have acquired over 200 properties across Barbados, showed the SUNDAY SUN the title deed to the 240 acres of land in St Peter, which she said her Aunt Beatrice Henry, bought and bequeathed to her.
According to the deed, Henry bought the land on October 10, 1926, for $10 000 pounds. The document was signed by then Registrar of the Supreme Court, H. Williams, in the presence of Hughes Banfield and E.D. Mottley.
“I am the owner of the land,” the elderly woman said.
Broome battle
Beckles said she was aware that the Broome family were also claiming ownership and that they had been involved in a legal battle with Government over a portion of the land.
Her son Dennis Beckles said: “We went to a meeting at Six Men’s on January 18, 2008, and we produced this conveyance and the people told us that Mr Broome never showed them anything like this.”
He pointed out that his mother had received tax relief for the land under the last Government administration.
Beckles said, however, it was not her intention to remove the many people who have been squatting on the land for several years.
“We want our money for the land and those people have been living free without paying one cent. If Government wants to acquire the land then they have to pay me the right price. The people can stay on the land because they are poor and you can’t get spots easy these days and they have been living there for years.”
She said she intended to get the land surveyed and divided for residential and agricultural purposes.
“Half of the land is to be used for houses and the other is for agriculture, because food and homes are the most important things,” she said.
Asked why she had not stepped forward before, her son said it was the fault of the lawyers.
“My mother went through a number of lawyers and they held on to her papers and did nothing. She would just get fed up and move on to somebody else but all of them just dragged their feet,” he said, pointing out that attorney-at-law Ernest Jackman was now representing his mother.
He said the Broome family would have to bring what they have to prove that they own the land.
When contacted yesterday, the Broome family, owners of Broome’s Vacation Home, would only say: “We are behind the truth. We will support whoever wishes to determine the truth.”
Two weeks ago, Leonard St Hill, consultant for the family, explained that the family had acquired Six Men’s Estate in 1985. He also pointed out that the family were hoping to undertake a comprehensive development of the massive site, including the construction of villas, a hotel, heritage park, residential site and a marina.
However, the Broome family have been embroiled in a legal dispute with Government for years over Government’s attempt to compulsorily acquire 30 acres of the land, which includes the beachfront and Six Men’s village where a number of people are squatting.
Last Friday Prime Minister David Thompson said Government intended to compulsorily acquire the land.(Nation News)