San Pedro Land Clinic Comes to an End

On Thursday night, we showed you the snaking line on Ambergris Caye as San Pedro residents attended day one of a land clinic hosted by the Ministry of Natural Resources. Today, we headed to the island town to find the numbers had ballooned in the final day as residents made serious headway in acquiring their titles and getting issues resolved. News Five’s Duane Moody reports.

Duane Moody, Reporting

For fifteen years, this single mother of four had been trying to acquire the title to a property in San Pedro Town. Today, an emotional Rosilda Patricia Coleman says that, after years of renting, they will finally able to go to the bank and secure a loan to purchase a place to call home.

Rosilda Patricia Coleman

Rosilda Patricia Coleman, San Pedro Resident

“I have been going back and forth and he never get anything done for me. They promise, I go to Belmopan and they give me hard time. And now, I can’t believe you guys making a difference for me today and my children. I mean to say, they grow up, I work hard and after fifteen years for me to get this means a lot for me.”

She is among hundreds of residents who between Thursday and today were able to get much needed services. The municipality does not have a Lands Department office, so for years residents would have to travel to Belmopan.

Gualberto “Wally” Nunez

Gualberto “Wally” Nunez, Mayor, San Pedro

“It is very difficult for islanders to get things done so we see the need for having a lands department here on the island. It is very important. Actually yesterday and today we can see the need for that and it is something that is long awaited for. And it is not only about the new issues or old issues, but everybody has some of the documentation that wasn’t in place. Sometimes we see that one person owns a piece of property that they have two or three land owners on that same property which is quite sad.”

Duane Moody

“So it is about clearing that up as well…”

Gualberto “Wally” Nunez

“It is.”

Andre Perez, Area Representative, Belize Rural South

“This mess that’s been here. Everybody just having a piece of paper and abandonment, corruption, monies being handed out to the wrong people, false agents as well. I have to mention that, false agents coming out here to Caye Caulker and San Pedro and beware of these people. All of these things have added up in the past thirteen years.”

Belize Rural South Area Rep and Minister of Blue Economy, Andre Perez joined Natural Resources Minister Cordel Hyde for the land clinic and says the purging has begun. He says that the land clinic is historic.

Andre Perez

Andre Perez

“It is for everyone to see, not only here in Belize Rural South, but the entire nation, how neglected we have been, how neglected with all the different services.  I have to work with the schedule of the D.P.M. I don’t want to be chancy and greedy because he is doing this national land clinic which is a brilliant idea. I think it was genius and so I have to be fair with the rest of the country, everybody has needs. But obviously yes, we are already working to set a date for Caye Caulker to deal with our people in Caye Caulker because they have suffered as well.”

Duane Moody for News Five.