The application of the social tenure domain model (STDM) to family land in Trinidad and Tobago

Family land is a form of communal tenure found in some of the countries of the English-speaking Caribbean inclusive of Trinidad and Tobago. It has been problematic to administer, is sometimes the source of land conflict and litigation, it has been seen as the cause of many land-related problems such as land degradation and fragmentation, and has therefore been targeted for eradication by land title registration programmes. Informal occupation of many years standing on state and private land is also widespread in Trinidad and Tobago. Recording the existence of these extant extralegal but legitimate rights would go a long way to improving the land administration and the security of tenure on these lands.The Land Administration Domain Model (LADM) is a logical and structured standard format for describing the land–human relationship, using an ontology that would allow for sharing of understanding, data and, eventually, software among jurisdictions. This standard is being developed, but has not as yet been finalised, by a technical committee of the ISO (The International Organization for Standardization). The Social Tenure Domain Model (STDM) is a refinement of the LADM, also being developed by ISO, related to describing more nuanced tenure and land administration components and arrangements that do not fit into the more general descriptions within the LADM, such as customary tenure and informal settlements.This paper charts a preliminary investigation into the applicability of the STDM descriptions to the particular land tenure situations of Trinidad and Tobago and to other countries in the Caribbean in which family land and other informal tenure forms are found. Describing these rights using the standard would then allow for the communication and understanding of the tenure situation and should support the eventual recordation of these rights.

Graphical abstractThis paper is a preliminary investigation into the applicability of the STDM descriptions to the land tenure situations of Trinidad and Tobago and to other Caribbean countries where informal tenure forms are found.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slideResearch highlights▶ STDM applicable to ‘Family land’ tenure. ▶ Recording ‘family land’ tenure possible. ▶ Informal tenure in Trinidad and Tobago can be recorded.