Audit of Lands Dept. shows mass abuse and disregard
The Auditor General’s Special Report on the Issuance of National Land Leases and Titles between September 2007 and February 2008 reveals numerous questionable transactions in the Ministry of Lands. As we have reported, in the majority of the cases, lease and purchase applications were approved without the recommendation of the Commissioner of Lands and Survey. For example: Twenty five acres of Turneffe was sold without approval to Turneffe Atoll Investments, three hundred and fifty two acres of Blackbird Caye issued through a Grant application to Blackbird Caye Company without approval of the Commissioner of Lands. No application is evident for large tracts of lands. For example: one hundred acres each of Colson Point Dangriga were issued to Gloria Torres, Nelson Zayden and Clayton Meadows. That’s three hundred acres of land without any accompanying application.
Then there is the case of Resort Investment Limited, which purchased three hundred acres of Turneffe Island. It applied on June twenty-fourth, 2007 for the land, yet the minister approved the sale nineteen days before receiving the application. There are also many examples of reductions approved by the minister. Global Supplies Company Limited received a reduction of seventy-eight thousand one hundred and ninety-five dollars for four hundred and one acres of Turneffe Island. Another name that is typed many times in the report is that of the Lindo family. William Bill Lindo, his company and two of his children appear at least fourteen times for grant applications for a total of one thousand four hundred fifty nine point two acres of land plus three lots scattered across the country. The report is damning but there are also well deserving individuals who have applied for land and unfortunately now suffer in limbo because of the lack of documentation.
Now that we have named the beneficiaries can we now expect something to be done to correct this situation?.
What the small handful of Belizeans who gain from these sweetheart deals fail to realize is that every time they sell prime real estate to foreigners they are no better than the people they claim held us down. The average Belizean gains nothing when wealthy foreigners retire in our country. It property taxes are supposed to be used to help pay for education, we need to find out why we are falling behind & why secondary education is still off limit to so many children. After we relinquish ownership, our land is gone for good & the majority will be forced to live in crime ridden reservations.
We can’t make these people care but we can to take our land back, we have enough lawyers in the GOB, I believe fraud voided most of those contracts.
This is an abuse of power in it’s highest form, somone must take the balme, and some of that land must be returned back to the goverment for those that has none.
where is the money from selling all those seperate piece of land?
I seh we “repo” the land with any and everything on it, why? Because these individuals know exactly what they are doing is stealing, take it all away from them, and distribute it to well deserve citizens like myself. Breda, you know how much time Cordel Hyde, Mr. Leslie and can’t remeber the others promise me piece of land, and still cannot receive that.
Again, its all about “who” know “you”, the poor people will never enjoy a peaceful life because everybody wah get rich.
I say let the thieves pay the price, if it was me, bwoy I tell yo, mi ..s mi wah deh pan some big bond and s…#.
TYPICAL!
Once again Belizeans! Where is the accountability. You need to charge the processor, purchaser, and seller of said properties for grand larceny, fraud, conspiracy and treason. These selected few people have given themselves supreme power over Belizean land. Dictating who gets how much land and for how much. Don’t forget about the discounts!!! THIEVES!!! These transactions will only benefit the resorts and perhaps hire some Belizeans to clean up after the tourists. Paying them only the bare minimum, while they prosper with marked-up profits!! Take back the land!!! Give back the land!!!! CORRUPT and ILLEGAL!!!!
i’m in my thirties and still can’t own a piece of the jewel becuase only the cronies get them free or cheap and we the poor seem to be on waiting list till maybe when my grandson becomes the pm he’ll give me a piece for my resting day. these things are now common among political parties in belize, since my childhood i’ve heard them do this and still nothing changes, but it’s a shame to read this article on the news worldwide. why can’t they be equality for all belizeans? alot of us are full blooded belizeans but don’t have a lot but immigrants seem to have along with friends of political people. we need land in santa elena for first time land owners, can anyone assist us mr. pm?
very good point Pacal, but the minister also has to sign so he should be put on blast too, especially for large pieces of land. While it is good to sell/lease land, government also has to keep some so that they can later build parks, schools and places of interest for the community, don’t forget about expanding the roads because Belize is BUILT ON A TWO/ONE WAY STREET.
Looks like BUSINESS AS USUAL………
I hope when the “land hogs” dead they take all the land with them too. Its so unfair, its not just poor Belizean that can not get land. Its also the working class belizeans that don’t have time to be running behind a minister or sitting at lands time and time again. I am 36 years old…..i own a property because i paid mortgage on it…….and another because my dad had some land that he share with his children and grandchildren. Seventeen years ago i filled out all kinda application form to get a piece of land from government and up to today………NADA! They should make it mandatory that when someone turns 18 years old and have to register to vote……that they be given a piece of property! It is our right to own a piece of our own COUNTRY!
all of you are right but am telling why you think udp bring this out now , ill tell you so to distract you from the realities happening in the country now economy in the drain, tourism in the drain, unemployment higgest its ever been ,crime way wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy out of control, education in the drain not one part of belize has prospered under this gov, so no make them distract you from whats going on the country hold this pm to account if uno could find him i know wey e dey miami beach.
Mr. DeanBarrow, another legislation necessary is to make void any transaction that does not follow due process and for the persons involved to be penalized for the money loss, regardless of political status..even if they are ministers…
The sad thing is that not only land is being sold. Around Ambergris Caye, even the seabed is being sold. Too many people get involved in politics for their OWN gain. We definately need to have something in place where all of these corrupt buyers, sellers and government officials can be exposed. I live on Ambergris Caye and at least I can say that i own two pieces of land (75×100 feet) and it has taken well over ten years to finally have all my documentation in place. I asked for help from the local poleticians, one of them took my money and i never saw results, finally i had to take the bull by the horn and go to Belmopan with someone who has influence and get my land titles. But so many of my fellow belizeans will never own land and have to continue to rent cause the system is so corrupt. With the small population we have, gosh each belizean could have his/her own piece of land.
………….., then why not audit all present and former Area Representatives regarding ownership or any/all land transactions and let the Belizean people know their findings?. Maybe we should start from P.G. first, then show us what you got. Nothing but a community of hypocrites and thanks to Hulse to open this can of worms. God noh like ugly, unu keep embarras unuself.
Honestly, you people are being wheeled in with the tricks of the UDP. U dnt see that they are going on and on bout these things to detract from the real issues at hand. And these people who got land paid fair and squared for it…are they forgetting to add in their report that Anwar Barrow, Doug Sing and many other got land the same way? But I guess that is why it is called politricks. Think before you jump to conclusions you people cant be so narrow minded and be foolded by such tricks if that is the case lets look at something…UDP MANIFESTO..open those can of worms.
Have you all forgotten the whole land fiasco with Vega just a couple months ago where he sold the land which was the drainage bowl for back of fabers etc. That cost the government a lot in compensation but it was hush. So be obejective…..wat worse than that?
Honestly i personally think that our constitution needs to be amended that every belizean is or be entitled to a piece of land. But again do this hulse hustler forgot that during their administration they got that big piece of land . U. D . P headquarters at belchina bridge.they bought it from taxpayers money for 2million bze dollars and entitled to themselves. THats cheating stealing and hipocrite. Clean your acts first.