G.O.B. takes out injunction against BGYEA
Tensions are running high tonight between the government and the Belize Grassroots Youth Empowerment Association. That’s because government has taken out an injunction to prevent the organization from planting corn on some twenty-nine acres of buffer land in the Harmonyville Community. The Lands Department and BGYEA have been at odds since its founding members managed to acquire over one thousand three hundred acres of land between mile forty-one and forty-two of the George Price Highway from the government. But development in the Harmonyville community has been almost nonexistent and BGYEA has often times complained about hurdles from the Lands Department to undermine the organization and their plans. And with nowhere to turn, BGYEA’s executive recently approached an investor to use the buffer lands for a seasonal agricultural project that would generate income for the development of the community. But that has been faced with great objections by the Lands Department and following a cabinet meeting, a cease and desist order was issued to BGYEA and the investor. That has been followed up by an injunction issued to the BGYEA President, Nigel Petillo, from the Supreme Court against any activity in the buffer land. Petillo says it is just another form of bullying by G.O.B.
Nigel Petillo, President, BGYEA
Nigel Petillo
“This is just another one of the government’s strategy and tactic to bully us and to show their muscles. We noh fraid ah no injunction. We noh fraid of going to jail for doing good. However, the situation here is that you are being faced with an order from the court, one of the highest courts in Belize; that’s the Supreme Court. As an organization, as a responsible organizer, we don’t want to seem as if though we are encouraging anyone to break the law or seem as if though we are troublemakers. However, we do believe in our actions, we do believe in what we are standing up for and if it means that our leaders and our government of the day is prepared to shut up anyone, especially in this case, youths for standing up for what they believe in, for their rights, what message are you signaling to my kids, to your kids, to the further generation? To just take it as it come? So as far as the issuing of the injunction, we are at the moment, meeting with our lawyers. We definitely need advice on this situation. I have never been arrested before, I’ve never been convicted or in prison. First time I’m going to court and dah my government di ker me dah court.”
What a bunch of freeloaders. They claim squatting rights on title land, then they force the governments hand to give them 1300 acres. In order to appease these filibusters, the government has to pay the initial land owner over 3 million dollars. Where does this money come from? You and I, our tax dollars!
Unsatisfied with already raping us, being the tax paying Belizeans, of our hard earned dollars. Now they want to acquire more!
If you drive past the supposed development, what do you see? Simple answer, nothing!! Now they are trying to get outside investors in to come and invest on crown land so that they can skim some profit, what kind of rass is this?
Now they want the government to put roads in on this “stolen” land as well as other services.
How about using the illegal land and showing you are responsible citizens and appreciative of your windfall? This might be too hard as it requires manual work and might involve you having to sweat a little and actually have to actually dip into your own pockets to uplift the area.
Your association is a joke and a insult to anything relating to Belize or it’s people. You should be ashamed of yourself and what you purport to represent.
What is even more disturbing, is how the press keeps supporting these yahoos. How about giving the full story and not the usual twisted one sided story for the so called downtrodden hero/villain and screw the authorities.
Belize, we need to take a good look at ourselves and be able to distinguish good from bad.
Can some one please explain this to me? Are we not getting the whole story? I just don’t understand why or how our government could be against this. To work hard to improve your life and the life of your family is admirable, but to work hard to improve the lives of everyone in your community is even that much more. Why are we against this when this is what we need to succeed as a nation? Granted this kind of action needs to be organized and done legally, which it seems like these men are trying to do. Why are we blocking them when we should be pushing them forward? Instead of stopping them we should be telling them to hurry up and get it done.
Our government should be a conduit to our economic success, not a road block.
Again are we getting the whole story? Can anyone explain to me why our govenment is against this?
Corn is a really temporary crop. In 3 months its gone, but its a remarkable way to raise funds to help with streets and keep this unusually wide buffer clean. I support PLANT THE CORN but it must be done now if you want to win. Late planting will not work. I ask everyone to SUPPORT!
I support PLANT THE CORN to keep the buffer clean and raise funds. Money have already been invested, so help do he right thing Government. This can only be a win for poor people!
I support plant the corn at HARMONYVILLE. It cannot hurt government, but it can be a help to keep the buffer clean and. This must be done at the right time, which is now. This move is so temporary, that 3 months from plant to reap cannot hurt anyone. We call on government TO DO THE RIGHT THING! Machine plant them closer, we are asking the government to support.
BGYEA is prevented from planting corn on 29 acres in the buffer zone, as investment to be used for infrastructural development in Harmonyville. Last time I checked, this is a grass roots Belizean community trying to help themselves where no assistance is forthcoming from the powers that be.
On the other hand, hundreds and hundreds of acres of land are being slashed and burned in our protected areas by foreigners and nothing is being done about it.
Something is radically wrong with this picture.
Something is not right about the whole situation.
WHy do BGYEA use their own land to pant. they have a lot of land why don’t they use their land!! they are so fool and they have done nothing to develop the land granted to them by government!! BGYEA is a SCAM and FRAUD!!!
Its a good way of raising money to help fi dem community…because we all know that under this vindictive UDP govt’ we will not get anything….only bze city is getting really upgraded,well because they have to do it because they know they won most of the seats in the city and in rural areas mek dem get f$%&, UDP 1ST,(CRONIES) Belizeans 2-3rd,PUP 4th-last….SHAME ON THE WAY THIS ARROGANT UDP GOVT’ behaves and tinks,only for them,MARK KING,DEAN BARROW,lois young,anwar barrow,dennis barrow,shane barrow,gapi vega and german vega and family,boots martinez,the poor Belizeans lastttttttttt,SHAME ON U DEAN B. you can run from justice here ,but not from justice from above,God sees everything.
What is planting 29 acres of corn harming? There are more environmental damage done by aerial spraying in spanish lookout, and Green Tropics. And people clearing down the riverine forest and much more. Plant the Corn, I say!!!!!