D.P.M. Cordel Hyde and the ‘Hotbed of Corruption,’ the Lands Dept.
Cordel Hyde
We also spoke to Deputy Prime Minister Cordel Hyde. He is responsible for the Ministry of Natural Resources, Petroleum and Mining. Hyde has been tasked in cleaning up the mess at the Department of Lands, labeled as a hotbed of corruption by former Prime Minister Dean Barrow. Hyde speaks of changing the culture of corruption in the Lands Department and rooting out the hustling from top to bottom.
Hipolito Novelo
“You are talking about changing the culture of corruption in the Lands Department. It is going to be very difficult.”
Cordel Hyde, Deputy Prime Minister
“But we are going to have to though. That is what the people voted for. We can’t five years from now go to back to the people and tell them that we couldn’t fix that and the corruption continues. It can’t be. They voted for something different.”
Hipolito Novelo
“Corruption from top to bottom in the Lands Department.”
Cordel Hyde
“Corruption from top to bottom in the entire country.”
Hipolito Novelo
“Will the Lands Commissioner be let go?”
Cordel Hyde
“We going to have to look critically at the Lands Department. We are going to have to look critical at all the personnel. We are going to have to look critically at the last few weeks and months because we are going to have to do for what is right for the people of Belize. That is my commitment. That is what we are going to do moving forward.”
Hipolito Novelo
“Will the legal counsel, Mister Usher be let go, replaced?”
Cordel Hyde
“I was just warning just now. I have not even looked critically at what is all there. I don’t even know what is all there. I will find that out tomorrow when I go there.”
Hipolito Novelo
“You receive any reports that any document have been missing at the Lands Department?”
Cordel Hyde
“We heard that so the Prime Minister moved swiftly Thursday morning t try to lock down things and slow down things a bit. I am hoping that decent people do the right thing. I am hoping that where there are indecent people that decent people point out the wrong things. I am hoping that we can arrest that kind of crazy behavior.”
