Land Dispute in South is Not Racism

Arden Edwards

The village leaders say they are not disputing the consent order of the Caribbean Court of Justice and Maya communal land rights. They do, however, believe that preferential treatment is being given to the indigenous Maya people. There are some who say that there is an ethnic battle taking place down south, but the non-Maya village leaders say that is not the case and that both Maya and non-Mayan communities have been living harmoniously for decades.

Arden Edwards, Former Councillor, Yemeri Grove Village

“I have twenty-one first cousins that are half-Mayan. We are not racist. We live like people and we treat people like people. So we are asking Dolores Balderamos, we will not sign anything till when those lines that are stating that has three-fourths of Yemeri Grove marked out for Laguna, we cannot allow that. Definitely we will not allow that.”

Lawrence Usher

Lawrence Usher, Former Chairman, Yemeri Grove 2004-2013

“We have never had an issue with them living in our communities, so the problem is not racism or trying to have segregation because of ethnicity. That is not the problem. The problem is that we will not allow people to take advantage of us and we have children. Our little community is our cake. They have fi dehn big chocolate cake with icing dah Laguna, five times the size of our community. Yo wah come and eat fi we lee cake and still got your cake deh. We will not sit by idly and have them take advantage of us.”

Marilyn Gentle-Garvin

Marilyn Gentle-Garvin, President, National Kriol Council

“We would like all the state actors representing the Government of Belize to consider this situation in its proper context and to act fairly and without prejudice to all parties. From what has been seen, there appears to be a disconnect between what is being said in the media and what is actually happening on the ground in real terms.”