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  • From: Don Bowen <don.bowen AT earthlink.net>
  • To: homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Homestead] .....fruit of gods
  • Date: Thu, 11 Nov 2004 12:49:32 -0800

At 11/11/2004, you wrote:
----- Original Message ----- From: Don Bowen<mailto:don.bowen AT earthlink.net> It does look like a place where one could have a a nice place with a
garden, chickens and bees except that only blooded Carolinians and Chamorrow can own land.

Well, everybody gotta make livin' somehow -
if you're not gonna live forever - and you don't
intend to leave whatever to your kids - what's
wrong with renting from an owner (who then
won't have to work at all ??) until you decide
you've had enough of whatever ?

It is a political choice in a government that considers corruption "the island way." The land owners can without cause reclaim their land and you have no recourse. Any improvements are lost. Several Chinese farmers work the land now but do almost nothing to improve soil conditions because as soon as they do the rents are increased.

Much of the land is held by a family rather than an individual. IN the 80s when the Japanese were really starting to invest in the island, several court cases came about because an individual of a family wanted to sell prime beach front land where an elder did not. The courts found for the individuals and several historic village sites are now under luxury hotels. The land is still owned by the family but all buildings and improvements are owned by the tenets. Many of those leases went for millions and family members moved away from the island to places like Seattle..

Don Bowen
Awl Knotted Up Woodworking
Valley Center, CA http://www.braingarage.com






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