Land Dispute in Krooman Lagoon Area Reaches Critical Point

For years, we’ve reported on land disputes in the Krooman Lagoon area between squatters and private landowners. But tomorrow, one of those quarrels is coming to a head as the courts will deliver a ruling that will decide the fate of one family. Ruben Cano says he’s been living on a small swatch of swampy land for decades but is, once again, facing possible eviction. In July, Cano received a letter from the property owner’s attorney stating that he had thirty days to leave. But Cano refused and is now being taken to court. The elderly man is being asked to vacate the premises, take down his home, cover the cost of damages, and other relief.  However, Cano says he’s squatted on the property for enough time to obtain what is known as “prescriptive rights”. Today, he explained how a relative of the Prime Minister is working to take away the only place he’s called home. 

Ruben Cano, Krooman Lagoona Area Resident: “Well I got a letter that I have to go to court tomorrow and the Prime Minister’s cousin you know they could get another place for him because I’ve lived here for so long and according to their record that they bought this place a couple years ago they just got this place and I live here so long. I really need my place and I have been asking the government for so long that I want my title for my land. Which, everybody around this division got their title, I need my title. I came in here when I was about forty years old. I am going for seventy years now it is time the government should see our need, for the poor people that we really need our land. Well they sent a letter that I should be removed in a month which I didn’t move. So they sent me a letter now that I have to go to court and well we will find out and see what the court decides because I have rights. I have more rights than they just bought this place, I have been living here for so long they don’t have any rights to my land. Well if the court decides that I have to vacate where the hell am I going ? I have no place to go. Yes I am a poor person, I am a poor Belizean. I should get help. Everybody just gets help. Well I’m just asking for at least Mr.Johnny to get in and give him somewhere else to live because we’ve lived here for so long you know ? We came and lived in these swamps and we filled up our land, I filled up all of my land. They never did fill anything in my land I don’t know why they’re saying now I have to compensate them.”

While Cano says he’s lived on the property for over twenty years, the property owner claims that persons in the area allege that Cano has not squatted in the area long enough to obtain prescriptive rights.