Reece Chipman, MP for Centreville. Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff
By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
A WEEK after Tourism and Aviation Minister Dionisio D'Aguilar threatened legal action against a group he said took possession of a vacant lot next to his home, Centreville MP Reece Chipman claimed in the House of Assembly the land belongs to his family.
A viral video this month showed Mr D'Aguilar's wife Saskia arguing with a man at a property out west, declaring the land belonged to her.
In a statement released last week in the wake of the video, Mr D'Aguilar called the group the man was affiliated with "land grabbers".
He said his wife had "nurtured and landscaped at the behest of the legitimate owners" over many years and that she was rightly upset that they destroyed vegetation she planted. He said police had been called over the matter and legal action would be taken with the full support of the "legitimate" land owners.
Mr Chipman responded to the controversy during a parliamentary debate yesterday as he framed the conflict as an attack on his family's legacy.
Mr Chipman said his great-grandfather, former parliamentarian H N Chipman, owned the land in question.
"Former Prime Ministers Pindling, Ingraham and Christie acknowledged H N Chipman as one of the wealthiest land owners in our country," he said. "The question how does a Bahamian family or any family for that matter, go from something to nothing, or even still how does an MP, politician or public servant, go from nothing to something? Very interesting. All the while many of our people do not know where the next meal will come from or if they will ever find a job."
Mr Chipman laid documents in Parliament purportedly showing his ancestor owned the land.
Among the documents was "a map of New Providence indicating the existence of Tuckers Estate as between Tusculum and Orange Hill, yes, all that property on and off West Bay Street between Tusculum and Orange Hill, the exact site of the social media frenzy last week," he said.
"I am laying these documents as the legacy of my great grandfather, the honourable H N Chipman will not be re-written or destroyed or even re-told by corruption, political skullduggery and cronyism," he said, never addressing the D'Aguilars by name.
"So yes, how do you go from Tuckers Estate to no estate. Most Bahamians will know: Chipmans are law makers, not law breakers, Chipmans are land givers not land grabbers. "
"We know based on the documents tabled, H N Chipman owned that land and many more. How do you go to the Bahamas Registrar General's Office and not find a birth certificate for any of his children? Not even a birth certificate or affidavit for John Arthur Chipman, 'Chippie', the goat skin drummer as he is affectionately called.
"Thank you to Sir Orville Turnquest, and Sir Arthur Foulkes for signing the affidavit acknowledging his birth and his parents, one of whom is H N Chipman, the other of whom was my great grand-mother Ethelyn Taylor. (The Department of) Land and Surveys has not been able to produce transitional documents, thus leaving a gap between land ownership. "The inconsistencies in surveyed land especially Tuckers Estate is unacceptable. Is this intentional or wilful blindness? Even wilful blindness is a criminal offence in some jurisdictions, and it should be made a criminal offence here, even in these circumstances. Attorney General after Attorney General was written to no avail.
"H N Chipman's legacy was one of land ownership and wealth. His legacy was one of helping the poor. His legacy will not be erased from the Registrar's Office or by Land and Surveys, or even from the Attorney General's Office. It will be restored as the God we serve will have it no other way. So yes, the rightful owners are the Chipmans. At some point, I will table the list of companies and individuals who have been through this revolving door, taking, quieting, transferring land from Tuckers Estate and our country may or may not be surprised."
Last week, Mr D'Aguilar said the land owners were working to get an injunction to stop the group to cease and vacate the property.
Comments
sheeprunner12 5 years, 6 months ago
Was Chippie a legitimate or illegitimate Chipman???????? ........... based on pre-1945 British law.
tell_it_like_it_is 5 years, 6 months ago
One sec.... while I go and grab the popcorn....(real housewives of Nassau....)
Bonefishpete 5 years, 6 months ago
Time to bring Bahamas land records into first world countries. GIS mappings so one only needs to click on a aerial map to find land owner and land boundaries.
John 5 years, 6 months ago
The Chipmans also owned the piece across from Adastra Gardens with the ‘pink’ building on it. It is claimed that the UBP government took the land from H.N Chapman, but never put it to use. So while some are allowed to Hogg up everything, others are being stripped of their birthright. Many of the lawyers who knew how to make land papers disappear or reappear in their clients ( or a family member or close friend) name are now dead or retired. But no government wants to fix the quieting titles act.. Why?
Dawes 5 years, 6 months ago
And thats the most important part. Why not fix what is there now and going forward we won't have these issues. There is too much corruption by all that needs to stop. Unfortunately as those in power (all) benefit from the way it is nothing will change.
jackbnimble 5 years, 6 months ago
Everyone knows if you really want to "grab land" in the Bahamas just wait for some unsuspecting land owner to stop 'watching' or taking care of his or her property and simply start watching it for them.
How do you do this? You plant some peas and corn or "flowers" on the property, wait a few years and then erect a fence. Make sure your neighbours see you doing this for about 12 years, get them to swear affidavits saying they 'witnessed' you "taking care" of the property and always thought that is was yours... and presto! you have successfully dispossessed the land owner and taken his property right from under his nose. It's the oldest trick in the book to 'land grab'.
Sounds to me like someone is watching the land owner's property for him/her with intention to quiet it.
Emilio26 2 years, 6 months ago
jsckbnimble I heard a old man who lives in Gambier Village by the name of James aka “Jim” Fernander stole alot of property out west in the tropical gardens and Gambier heights area back in the 70s and 80s.
sealice 5 years, 6 months ago
His legacy will get torn out just like all the other crooks do when they need to make our registrar even more ambiguous.....
licks2 5 years, 6 months ago
Is there any property anywhere in this island that the Chipmans een "own" by some nebulous linage that nobody can substantiate . . . they lose in courts. . .but never can prove anything!! Ya mean to tell me that of all them white land owners with black children on the down low, the chippie's down low papa was the only one who can't find and land papers? And further more, WHAT THE HECK MR. CHIPMAN DOING TALKING ABOUT THAT IN HOA? THIS MAN SEEM A LIL OUT OF SORTS CRY BABY WHO CAN'T "MAN UP" AND DO THINGS THE RIGHT WAY AND STOP HIE SNIVELING NONSENSE!!
I WONDER WHY THEY CAN'T FIND A SINGLE TITLE TO THE VAST HOLDING THAT THE WHITE CHIPMAN HAD!!
screwedbahamian 5 years, 6 months ago
Why in our lords great name would the Speaker of the HOA allow such nonsense to take place in the Peoples house of Parliament . That body and forum is for the Peoples business and not individual publication for cause. Land disputed are for the courts ( although they make questionable rulings, thanks for the Privy Council in mother England to overrule ). Too many of our Bahamian Brothers and Sisters steal land that belong to others and it going to have to stop. Full stop.
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