Commissioner Ch’oc Responds to San Pedro Colombia Questions about Land

In response, Commissioner Ch’oc said the government is willing to support the communities; but, under the customary land rights tenure, it is the community that must make the decision on how lands are divided. Ch’oc in his response did not allude to any established mechanism for doing so, however.

Greg Ch’oc

Greg Ch’oc, Commissioner of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs

“Remember, under the Constitution of Belize everybody has a right to property, but it is only now that the court has recognized indigenous form of land ownership which is customary. That is the reason why government cannot give out leased land anymore in the Maya villages, because it is considered customary land. It is a form of ownership. The question you have asked, another person has a hundred acres, can we get it? It is in the hands of the community because if the decision of the community is to take certain action they are setting a precedent. You understand me? What precedence means is if you start doing this, you have to do the same thing under the same condition, you understand? So if you say this one dead, village take back deh land then the next man that dies the village takes it back also. Then when you die they take it and give it to somebody. That is why I keep saying this, you come together, it is under your jurisdiction. The best solution can come from this village if you are guided by how you can resolve these problems where one person has five hundred acres, depriving some member of the community; have a conversation with the person. If the government comes in and says I take this and give it to this one, then the politicization of the distribution of land continues, and that is what the court has said must stop.”