Lease land taken away from celebrated Jaguar, Ian Gaynair

Ian ‘Yellow’ Gaynair

He scored the only goal for Team Belize in the Gold Cup in July. He received international acclaim and recognition from CONCACAF and FIFA for turning down a bribe to fix the matches. But tonight Ian ‘Yellow’ Gaynair isn’t feeling particularly lucky, blessed or special. That’s because the defensive star of the Belize Jaguars has been stripped of a house lot in Belize City for which he held a lease. The house lot is located near the Gungulung Area of Lake Independence on Holy Emmanuel Street. News Five understands that Gaynair received his lease approval in 2006. But that lease approval had been cancelled by the Government of Belize.  A source close to Gaynair told News Five that the football star only found out in June this year when he went to renew his driver’s license. Tonight there is confirmation that Gaynair spent thousands of dollars filling the lot, which was mostly swamp, and had continued clearing it. There is also confirmation that at no time did Gaynair receive any notice or letter from the Ministry of Natural Resources advising him that he was in arrears or that his house lot had been taken away.  Ironically, besides being a football star on Belize’s national team, Gaynair is also a public officer, employed by the Government of Belize at the Vital Statistics Department.  News Five understands that the house lot has already been given to one Roberto Valladarez from the north of Belize.