G.O.B. Files $6 Million Countersuit in Belama Land Acquisition Fiasco

Anthony Sylvestre

According to Attorney General, Anthony Sylvestre, the proprietors of the company who purchased the lands in November 2020, brought a lawsuit against the Government of Belize. As a result, G.O.B. filed a countersuit for damages to the tune of six million dollars. So, that is a suit against the former Minister of Lands Hugo Patt for alleged misfeasance in office and another against the company that purchased the lands. AG Sylvestre told us more.

Anthony Sylvestre, Attorney General

“Huge tracts of land, which there a company, the principals Mr. Blades who had acquired these lands, these lands were sold to them. At the time they were acquired they were crown lands. But here is the thing, before they became crown lands they were compulsory acquired at an exorbitant price, in excess of millions of dollars. These lands haven been acquired for public purpose it was said, they were later sold to private developers for sums less than a hundred thousand dollars. In consequence of that the government has been reviewing the matter for some time and claim in misfeasance has been brought former Minister of Natural Resources Hugo Patt, as well as the company, because the company interestingly sued government, because government said man you get this but really and truly the way in which it was gotten there are circumstances which surrounds it which is a shroud of to put it mildly, impropriety. They brought a claim and the government in response said ok, we will counter sue. We bring a claim for damages for what the Belizean people and the government lost when the land, which was compulsory acquired for millions of dollars was in turn sold to this third party for pittance.”

Reporter

“How much is quantum of the suit, six million?”

Anthony Sylvestre

“Yes it is six million.”