Questionable Land Transaction in Port Loyola Jilts Residents of Ownership
A dubious land transaction in Port Loyola that took place just before the November eleventh General Elections has deprived many residents of an opportunity to acquire properties from the Government of Belize. Title for a tract of land equivalent to eight house lots was reportedly transferred into the possession of a well-known political operative in that constituency. According to Area Representative Gilroy Usher Senior, indications are that it was a scheme concocted under the previous administration.
Gilroy Usher Sr., Area Representative, Port Loyola
“Government had a piece of land in Port Loyola around by the former area representative‘s office. Da right round deh. Government paid to have the parcel surveyed and government filled it, but instead of giving it out to the residents of Port Loyola, what the person did was that he, what the most influential person in the division did then, let me put it that way, what the most influential person did was he used a front. No, he used a person‘s name fraudulently from the outset, he used a person‘s name fraudulently and applied for the land on July 2nd, 2020. The same day he applied for the land on July second was the same day he applied to purchase the land and everything was done rapidly. You applied for purchase on July second and it was approved for a thousand dollars, rapidity. And then the following day, the one thousand dollars was paid for the land to the government which is equivalent to what I said was eight house lots. And then after that now, like four days later, on the sixth of July, they applied for the title for the land, certificate of title. But by this time the election was coming along and there were a lot of fraudulent things that were happening at the Lands Department.”