Govt. sells pristine caye for pittance
We at News Five first became acquainted with the Silk Cayes in May of 1999 when we reported a story on the whale sharks which congregate at nearby Gladden Spit. Last month we revisited the area when Fisheries Minister Dan Silva, surrounded by government officials, local fishermen, environmentalists and foreign diplomats, declared the three islands and the waters around them a marine reserve. The purpose of the declaration was to protect the unique environment from over exploitation and provide a public place where Belizeans and visitors could enjoy what nature had created.
Today a News Five investigation has revealed that far from being protected, one of the picturesque islands-South Silk Caye – has in fact been sold by government to a private individual. The sale apparently took place in 1999, before the declaration of the reserve, but during a time when the move was under consideration. It also was done against the background of a government policy, which specifically discouraged the selling of government cayes.
And who is the person fortunate enough to own one of Belize’s most beautiful little islands? He is none other than Mr. Gabby Affif. Affif, a Belize City businessman who owns Beirut Trading Center on Queen Street, is also a licensed immigration consultant involved in the sale of Belizean passports. He also enjoys an apparently close relationship with a number of high government officials. When News Five spoke to Affif today he said that when he bought the caye he did not know it was part of a reserve and that he planned to develop a tourist resort on the island. When asked how much he paid for the property, long a favorite for picnicking and camping, Affif said he could not remember and would not even venture to guess as to a ballpark figure. As fate would have it News Five’s Janelle Chanona found herself at a function this morning in the presence of Minister of Natural Resources Johnny Briceno. She took the opportunity to inquire as to exactly what was going on.
Janelle Chanona
“A couple weeks ago, the Gladden Spit, Silk Cayes were dedicated as a protected area. We learned before that agreement, that one of the cayes had been sold to a private entity. Today we learnt that yes, one of the cayes has been sold, to someone named Gabby Affif and I’d like your comment on that.”
Johnny Briceno, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment
“I would certainly have to take a look at that issue. If that happened, when it happened it obviously wasn’t a part of that declared area. I’m not aware of us selling any major cayes because as it is, the government’s policy is to, not do it unless…try to avoid selling of any cayes and as far as I know we haven’t sold any major cayes, probably it would have been something of a quarter acre or something. But as I know we haven’t sold any major amounts, but I’ll certainly take look at it and see if it is going to affect the area.”
Janelle Chanona
“If your investigations reveal that that caye has been sold and somebody is the freehold title owner of that piece of property, what would be your step then?”
Johnny Briceno
“Well once it is private you know that law as well as I do, but what can be done? If it is something that’s going to affect the protected area, then we would have to sit down and speak with the gentleman and probably work out a compromise where he can maybe pass it over or put it under the management of the area so we can protect it in its natural state.”
Janelle Chanona
“Do you think that happened haphazardly or how do you think, if it is true that it has been sold, how do you think that came about in the first place, to this particular person?”
Johnny Briceno
“I think that that person probably applied for it and it went through the process and by the time it comes to my desk, it has the approval of the different departments and when it comes to my desk, and I have that everything has been checked out and it can be sold or it can be leased, then I would do it. Obviously in this case we weren’t aware, probably the department wasn’t aware that this was an area that was going to be declared or that it was sensitive, it was a sensitive area or certainly our department wouldn’t have recommended that it would be done. So we need to take a look at all those other things. I mean we have so many hundreds of files going through our desk.”
This afternoon a search of public records revealed why Gabby Affif’s memory may have failed him. The purchase price was so low that he could have forgotten it the same way most of us forget the exact amount of change we have in our pockets. Are you sitting down? The price paid for South Silk Caye was $2,560. That’s right: $2,560 Belize money, approximately one fiftieth of the market value for a similar island, were one actually to become available. When News Five again spoke to Affif this afternoon he said that if in fact the caye is part of the reserve he would gladly give it back to the government in exchange for a different piece of property.
