Who’s Responsible for San Juan Land Grab?
Chairman Carlos Peraza has notified the Ministry of Natural Resources about the developing issue in San Juan. Peraza told us that neighboring communities are experiencing the same problem. He says he has received names and possible connections to the land grabs happening in the village but he has not been able to confirm who distributed the land to those individuals. He says that many of those persons who are now clearing down the land are from nearby along the southern highway.
Carlos Peraza, Chairman, San Juan Village
“I did send a letter to the Ministry of Lands where I am expecting an answer to clarify this issue. We have this land designated as San Juan Extension many years ago but from there we don’t have any documents to say that the land has been issued to someone else.”
Andrea Polanco
“Can you say if it is like private individuals, companies – just a general idea of who these entities are?”
Carlos Peraza
“I would say private individuals. This has to be monitored by Government. Surveyors cannot just come and offer their work and just for a certain amount of money declare an area that its GPS reading has been taken already and then have someone apply for it. It shouldn’t work like that.”