Lands Commissioner Wilbert Vallejos Testifies in Pickwoad Land Case

Audrey Matura-Shepherd

Belizean-American Bernadette Pickwood claims that the Ministry of Natural Resources improperly took away her land in Belama Phase One for alleged lack of development and soon thereafter relatives of the former C.E.O. got title to it. The trial continued before Justice Kenneth Benjamin today with testimony from Commissioner of Lands and Surveys Wilbert Vallejos. Pickwood’s attorney, Audrey Matura-Shepherd summarizes what took place in court.

Audrey Matura-Shepherd, Attorney for Bernadette Pickwoad

“We just cross examined him and the focus of the cross examination was if the person got notice, was the person given a reasonable amount of time to respond. And so we come back to court on December seventeenth. And in the time left, we are still encouraged to try and reach an agreement.”

Reporter

“One clarification. Did your client have a registered or unregistered property?”

Audrey Matura-Shepherd

“At the start it was unregistered and later on it became registered. Throughout the country, they are trying to get all lands registered.”

Reporter

“Umm, just for a point of clarification as well for me. What is the weight of Mister Wilbert Vallejos’ input into this case chief evidence and cross examination?”

Audrey Matura-Shepherd

“Well it carries a lot of weight because he is able to speak as to the processes and he is a decision maker. So it is important to understand and in these types of cases a lot also comes down when you have legal arguments. There are certain things that they can’t argue because they are not attorneys. But now putting all the evidence together, everything is before the court, that is when you can argue legally from a standpoint of what the law is and you are asking the court to deal with it.”

The trial resumes on December seventeenth.