Hundreds of B.D.F. Soldiers Receive Land Certificates

A News Five team was back at Price Barracks for the conclusion of two events. The first was a proud moment for hundreds of men and women of the Belize Defense Force who received land certificates, following a two-day land clinic hosted at the military base by the Ministry of Natural Resources. News Five’s Duane Moody reports.

Duane Moody, Reporting

The land clinic began on Thursday at Price Barracks and within a little over twenty-four hours, land documents for the soldiers, who are tasked with defending our sovereignty, were processed. By this afternoon, a ceremony was held to hand over land certificates to these soldiers. Former Minister of Defence, now Minister of Natural Resources, Cordel Hyde, took the opportunity to thank the public officers within his ministry for the work over the two days.

Cordel Hyde

Cordel Hyde, Minister of Natural Resources

“I am getting old, but what doesn’t get old is thanking the people who make this possible. I don’t really do much; I just sign at the end of the day. But really our public officers in our ministry do things that lot of people don’t get to see unless they come to the clinics. Work so hard, work so late, give of themselves in such a way that you can only be amazed because this takes a lot of hard work. Our people were here until after eleven last night and they were here long before me this morning, looking all fresh and ready to get the work done.”

Over three hundred service men and women were engaged in some way or the other. According to Deputy Commander of the B.D.F., Lieutenant Colonel Ricardo Leal, it is a momentous occasion because the soldiers were able to finalise their land documents associated with three projects in the Belize District.

Ricardo Leal

Lt. Col. Ricardo Leal, Deputy Commander, B.D.F.

“The Ministry of National Defence and Border Security in its vision commissioned three land projects in the areas of Biscayne, Maxboro and Lord’s Bank because of the importance for soldiers to acquire a piece of land. Today that vision has turned into reality thanks to the partnership that was established between the Ministries of Defence and Natural Resources. Over the last two days, the land clinic saw a little over three hundred service members for the various land projects as well as several members who had other land related matters.”

National Defence Minister Florencio Marin Junior says that this support to the soldiers will have a significant impact on their welfare.

Florencio Marin Jr.

Florencio Marin Jr., Minister of National Defence

“Giving the Belize Defence Force two days, I don’t need to tell you and I don’t need to tell your workers the significant impact that this will have on the members and on the morale of the force. We have done a lot and we also know there is a lot more to be done.”

Duane Moody for News Five.