A brewing land dispute in Belama Phase 4

Moses Lobos

There is a land dispute brewing tonight in Belama Phase Four, as a number of squatters who have been occupying property in that area are under threat from a landowner who says that they must vacate her parcel forthwith.  This afternoon, Moses Lobos, a resident of Phase Four, who admits to settling on the land without any legal documents, stopped by our office and explained that he is confused.  On one hand he is being informed that the property belongs to the Government of Belize and on the other he has been told that it is privately owned.

Moses Lobos, Resident, Belama Phase Four

“The problem is because all the people live deh but dehn noh have any papers for the land right now.  So we went to ask the department for the land and they said we’ll give you the land right but we haftu find dah fu who dis land.  Government done find da who fah di land.  Dis mawnin I gone da di office and they said they bought it.  Dis afternoon she said da fu she parcel you know.  Da fu she land, she say government no buy it.  I noh know what’s di problem right now because I done confuse already but government seh dehn done by, she seh she noh sell it.  Dis afternoon, she seh she noh di sell it right now.  She sehe tomorrow 8:30 ih wah bring police mek dehn bruk down everything ova ya.”

Isani Cayetano

“So basically, they want you off the property, a property which you are saying you are confused because you don’t know if it’s government land you’re on or if it’s private property.”

Moses Lobos

“Ahuh, that’s the problem right now because we check di office and dehn seh dat no property, da fu di government right.  Da back deh me sih di land and only one sign deh back deh weh seh dat ih property, people respect dis line ova ya because I have pegs.  Dis place weh other people live no have no peg, no nothing, just the space weh clean.  All di people weh live right deh di deh fu three years now wid di building and everything.”

Isani Cayetano

“As you’ve said, you don’t have title to the piece of land that you’re occupying so that is squatting.  If you’re illegally on property belonging to this woman or you’re illegally on land belonging to the government then one would think that either way you would be removed.  How long have you been occupying this space?”

Moses Lobos

“I find dis place ya bout three years and a half just now I find it but di people clean di place first right.”