Maya Leaders upset over appointment of new alcalde
And while in the north the situation is explosive, there is also trouble brewing in the south. The Maya Leader’s Alliance and the Toledo Alcalde Association are in a dispute with the Attorney General’s Ministry and Toledo West Minister Juan Coy. With Coy’s blessings a statutory instrument was signed by the attorney general, which removed the elected Alcalde of Santa Elena Village. According to Cristina Coc, Director of the Julian Cho Society, villagers did not consent to the change and, in her opinion, the rights of villagers have been taken away.
Cristina Coc, Director, Julian Cho Society
“It was brought to our attention on Friday, the thirtieth, a day before the swearing in of the alcalde. It was brought to our attention and if I had been tasked—and the S.I. is dated January fourteenth, 2009—and basically the statutory instrument is calling for the revoke of the appointment of Monika Pop as alcalde as first alcalde in Santa Elena in the Toledo District and replacing this alcalde with the appointment of Pedro Pook as alcalde. The order also amended, in respect to Santa Elena, the appointment of Dionicio Coc as deputy alcalde and replacing with the appointment of Mateo Ca’al as the deputy alcalde. This statutory instrument was passed upon the request of the Minister of Toledo West Mr. Juan Coy along with the Attorney General. When this SI was brought to our attention through the Alcalde’s Association, we realized very quickly how disturbing the situation had become for the community, particularly of course for Santa Elena which is the community in question. To the best of my knowledge, the government has never appointed an alcalde in any of the districts the Santa Elena or the Stann creek district. We were made to understand that the ministry itself was unaware of the situation and that that process was bypassed. It went directly to the Attorney General. According to the area representative, we are told that a petition was taken and this was what he forwarded to the attorney general. No meeting was held to confirm whether that petition came from our village. Our alcalde is a part of our democratic heritage as Maya people and it actually is a symbol of our customary law. So everybody concerned in terms of the exercise of power. We felt that for a decision like this to be taken without ensuring the committee’s position and for an alcalde to be appointed by way of a statutory instrument by the Attorney General or a minister, is in fact an abuse of power and so that really was our take on the whole issue and that’s why we try to make public this situation”
Coc says the Mayan Alliance has decided to meet on February eighth at the Santa Elena Community Center where villagers are expected to select who they want as their Alcalde.
