Government puts hold on Caribbean Shores land deal

The P.U.P. called him Mr. Quitar in reference to candidate Dean Barrow’s somewhat misinterpreted call for the “taking back” of large tracts of government land virtually given away to alleged P.U.P. insiders. And once elected, Prime Minister Barrow made no apologies.

Prime Minister Dean Barrow
“We will in a word, and dare I say it, proceed to “quitar”.”

Today Barrow began to make good on his promise as the Ministry of Natural Resources has issued letters of caution on fifty-eight lots in a Belize City subdivision being developed by former Caribbean Shores representative Jose Coye. The caution letters, which prohibit the sale or development of the land, refer to parcels 4711 through 4767 and parcels 4880 and 4881 in the Caribbean Shores registration section, all created from land originally belonging to the University of Belize. In a process not entirely clear Coye obtained development rights to the property and had begun to fill the low lying land, building roads, drains and culverts. He also began to sell the lots for between forty and sixty thousand dollars each, using the proceeds to pay for the development costs, which he estimates at over two million dollars. According to the press release, all those who have entered into purchase arrangements for the lots in question should contact the Commissioner of Lands, who noted that any grant fiat not signed by the Commissioner is null and void. When contacted today by News Five an irate Coye reiterated that the process of developing the land was “entirely legal” and closely supervised by the Lands Department. “I have no apologies”, continued Coye, who said that he will be placing the matter in the hands of his attorney. It is not clear exactly how many of the lots were sold to third parties and how many remain in the hands of the development company. The release also mentions another cautioned property, parcel 1077 in the King’s Park registration section. Unconfirmed reports say this is the lot occupied by the Putt-Putt Bar and Grill, which was sold by government at a tiny fraction of its market value to businessman Alfred Shakron … on the recommendation of Area Rep. Jose Coye.

The ministry has also announced that until an assessment of procedures is completed, no land titles or leases will be issued anywhere in Belize until March fourteenth.