Development near graveyard angers Hopkins residents
As we reported on June ninth, Hopkins residents are up in arms that they have to seek permission access to their public graveyard. That’s because the road leading to a portion of the cemetery is fitted with a security booth and security officer by a privately owned company named Hopkins Harbour Development Limited. The company is responsible for the construction of two resorts, one located in the vicinity of the graveyard and another further north of the area. The decades-old problem remains the same and when we headed there today we found that the company no longer has a barricade across the street. But the security officer still logs every visitor who passes the security booth, as he did with us when we visited the graveyard around noon today. Marion Ali reports.
Marion Ali, Reporting
Former Village Chairman, Mario Augustine, says he was one of many people who fought tooth and nail to stop the company from destroying the graveyard. And to some extent, they got government to intervene a few years ago.
Mario Augustine, Former Chairman, Hopkins Village
“This area to the front here is originally twenty-three acres which would have been for the developers. But later on we noticed on a map that they had gotten twenty-eight, which includes the five more north to that side, which is the continuation of our cemetery. So that is what we were fighting for; to get back that five acres and we got somewhere successfully. We get some orders from the Ministry of Natural Resources from Mr. Fabro who was at Environment at that time and those people got their cessation order to leave the cemetery alone.”
Troy Coleman, Member, Assn. of Concerned Citizens, Hopkins
“They should not touch the five acres that should be used for the expansion of the burial ground. That is final with us, that is what we believe and that is what we think should hold.”
Marion Ali
“So what are you doing now? You said that it’s congested but when you have funerals and deaths, how do you cope with it being that you’re running out of space?”
Troy Coleman
“So far, we still find a few space to put the people; to put our remains.”
The issue is one that remains touchy because Hopkins residents feel that it’s unacceptable to turn to a private company to visit the cemetery. But according to the current Chairman, that’s news to him.
Francis Lewis, Chairman, Hopkins Village
“You have to write your name before you pass. You have to get permission before you pass. This is what is new to me. I do not see how that could be because that piece of land belongs to Hopkins.”
But the people also have issues with the dredging, which the company is said to be conducting in two areas of the village. One is near the mouth of the lagoon and the other is on the Hopkins Road in marsh land.
Mario Augustine
“The problem is definitely erosion. That will be the problem because the fresh water empties it’s water—the Fresh Water Lagoon empties to the sea and way to the back, it brings silt. So the sand that they have taken out from there is what filters out that silt when it come out from the back.”
Current Chairman Lewis also has not investigated the dredging.
Francis Lewis
“They only say that it has been dug and sand is piling up.”
Marion Ali
“You haven’t gone out as the Chairman to investigate?”
Francis Lewis
“No, no because I learnt that they were given by the government the permission, they get the paper. I do not certify that; but I heard that it is so, so I leave it as that. If the government gave them the authority I have no power to stop what the government has done.”
Troy Coleman
“Last week Sunday I took a walk along the beach and to see the sand taken from the lagoon a mile away from here. While I was walking the beach I started to see a lot of erosion taking place. I saw about three or four fish that had died on the seashore.”
When we spoke with the manager of Harbour Development, Theo Jansen on June sixteenth, he said the company was abiding by the agreement. Some of the residents say they believe it was former Area Representative, Rodwell Ferguson who helped the company to gain so much control over the area. But when we checked with him today he said not so.
Rodwell Ferguson, Former Area Rep, Stann Creek West
“I could recall going to the graveyard with the Village Council and villagers of Hopkins trying to see how both parties could have worked together. Initially, I don’t think I had any total dealings with the situation. As they elected me, I went to the meeting and I was totally on the side of the villagers of Hopkins and I told the investors if this was a heritage site, then I want you to accept it and demarcate it that it will always be there for the villagers of Hopkins. There was no agreement when I was there that there is going to be an arrangement for people to enter the graveyard. That is totally after my time.”
News Five visited the Lands Department in Belmopan this afternoon to find out how the company gained control of the area but Lands Commissioner, Manuel Rodriguez refused to comment. Reporting for News Five, Marion Ali.
The problem started several years ago when the private owners, a Ramirez family, sold the land to a private company. It reportedly happened while George Ramirez was Village Chairman.
