Who is Behind Takeover of ‘Picado Road’ in Lake Independence?
Residents living at mile two and half on the George Price Highway on a street called “Lucky Street” say that it appears that one of the designated streets in their area has been sold off. The area lies within the Lake I division, has one principal street, a side street and is closed off with a dead-end. So, residents are not happy that workmen have started to clear the side street claiming that it has been sold to an individual. The problem is that the side street is used quite often because ‘Lucky Street’ is almost always impassable when it rains. Today, residents started to do work on the side street because they are concerned that someone is going to close off pathway. We spoke with a resident who said that they have signed a petition and forwarded it to Belmopan.
Hector Castellanos
Hector Castellanos, Resident
“Whenever we have a small little rain we are actually in full – that a pool – just like the picture I showed you – right at the entrance and everyone get sick around here because they get their feet wet unless they have a vehicle. This section here is a street – I have the map here to show – because I have kids who go to school so they have to catch the bus on the other side, so they go through the water. So, here, if people take this lot here for private property as is being done. This morning we were told to stop filling up the street.”
Andrea Polanco
“So, someone is claiming this area that is a designated street – now as a house lot?”
Hector Castellanos
“Yes, ma’am. So, we want that the Minister please come out here and clarify this situation. We are not claiming this spot for no one – this is a street. Well, this morning somebody came and two guys came and start to do the chopping and so they said that this is for their boss. And they didn’t want to say who their boss is. We more or less suspect whom the person is. But we want a stop to be done because this is a street. The person said this dah my lot and the other one shouted that this dah my lot because I done pay for it.”
Andrea Polanco
“How do you think that a designated street has been sold off to a private individual?”
Hector Castellanos
“Well, I hope there is no corruption here; that is what we are hoping. If there is any paper to get this as a private property, to stop that and if anyone is involved in getting that as a private property, fire them, jail them; put them to do hard work. In fact bring them here to spread some sand.”
Andrea Polanco
“So, I take it that the work will continue this weekend?”
Hector Castellanos
“Yes, ma’am. We will continue going with our street to the next end but we want some Minister to come help us here because as you know, things hard and land the sand is not free. So, we are paying them to bring sand right now.”
Andrea Polanco
“Have you guys been threatened in relation to the work that is going on here?”
Hector Castellanos
“Well, this morning, we were kinda threatened because we were told don’t cross that line across there. So, like how we said, an imaginary line is there. As you can see, here is the lot and there is no lots here. It is a street. So we want our street.”
