U.D.P. Standard Bearer Ivan Williams Speaks Out on Santa Cruz Village Expansion Project
Ivan Williams
The Santa Cruz Village expansion project involving six hundred lots in southern Belize has yet to be completed, but there is a battle raging between the village council and U.D.P. standard bearer, Ivan Williams over the project. The expansion project kicked off a few years ago and according to Chairman Vincent Scott, the village council is said to have collected close to fifty thousand dollars. The village council did not obtain permission to survey, but Williams has been able to move the process forward. The permission to survey is critical in order for the project to advance, but Scott does not want to handover the list of persons who have paid monies to the Lands Department. He says that by delivering the list, Williams will take over the project. Williams told News Five that the claim is a desperate attempt to tarnish his name.
Ivan Williams, Standard Bearer, Stann Creek West
“Over the years I have been following this matter and I found out that for whatever reason the village council either they don’t want or they are not in a position to produce the basic requirement that the Land Ministry requires. And my understanding is that it is a list of all those persons who have paid money who are seeking to get their land documents and perhaps maybe an indication of money being available to pay the surveyor.”
Hipolito Novelo
“The village council chairman Mister Scott is saying that he will not hand over the last because he believes that that list will be handed over to you so that you can take control of the project.”
Ivan Williams
“Well that is not true because I never take control of any project. No document will be in my name. No survey will b e in my name so how can I take over that project?”
Hipolito Novelo
“He says that on Sunday you were in village with the permission to survey telling people that you receive that permission and that you are a part of that project.”
Ivan Williams
“Well I was successful after many, many times of trying to get what I thought the village council could not get which is the permission to survey. However as I mentioned the permission to survey is not in Ivan Williams or the standard bearer’s name. It is in the government of Belize for the people of Santa Cruz. So I can’t take any project or anything that is not in m y name. I did go to the village because I am campaigning. As a standard bearer you have to go to the village and campaign. While I was campaigning quite a number of people began to raise the issue about their concerns which they have expressed to me long ago that they still haven’t seen any progress and they don’t know when they are getting their land documents.”
