Belmopan Mayor Says Land is Scarce

Khalid Belisle

In his interview today, Belmopan Mayor Khalid Belisle maintained that the problem is land. There is a high demand for that precious commodity in Belmopan, and a long waiting list. So while he would like to assist those who will be relocated from the area near the creek, there’s precious little he can do.

Khalid Belisle, Mayor, Belmopan

“It really is an unfortunate situation, Mike, and I wish that it had not unfolded this way of course. I will tell you that on a weekly basis I have dozens of Belmopanese, dozens of Belizeans coming into my office asking, applying for a piece of land. We are at the point in Belmopan where pretty much all the public land has been issued. Those Belizeans are willing to go through the due process, and that is what we are asking everybody to consider as they try to acquire a piece of property to build their dwelling upon. Let’s go through the due process. Let’s not go the illegal route. Like I said it’s dangerous. I recall quite vividly – the images are burned into my memory – of the flooding that took place along that very creek when we had the floods a couple years ago. Of course the call went out on the radio that the Area Representative and the City Council were sitting on their bottoms and not acting after they placed themselves in that precarious position and so what we’re trying to avoid is a repeat of that.”