Squatters’ Dispute Over Land Escalates in Duck Run Three

The squatters’ situation in Duck Run Three, Cayo District, is a situation that has been brewing since 2019.  The situation is that one squatter who had been in the area for many years was indebted to a company in Spanish Lookout.  Unable to pay his bills, he turned around and gave the company a piece of national land in lieu of payment.  The company accepted the 25-acres of land, and subsequently had the land subdivided.  One of the company owners then decided to begin selling the parcels to recover his money, but the situation exploded when the village council realized that the parcels of lands were being sold to persons outside the community.  A negotiation then followed between the company owner and the then village chair that would see residents of Duck Run Three offered land parcels at two thousand dollars each. The plan for the 25 acres of land was to have residential lots, and areas earmarked for a park and a cemetery to serve the village and surrounding areas.  In 2020, however, the village chairman sought guidance from the then Standard Bearer, Orlando Habet who led them to see the then Lands Commissioner, Wilbert Vallejos.  Since then, the matter has escalated since the squatter on the cemetery land has expedited construction on the property and refuses to move.

Orlando Habet, Area Representative, Cayo North East: “Just before the 2020 elections I recall the chairman coming and saying “listen this person, this lady is starting top squat on a parcel of the land that belongs to the cemetery, can you go with me to see the lands commissioner?” So myself, the chairman and the former chairman of the village went to see the lands commissioner.”

Troy Gabb, Host, The Morning Show: You were in opposition at the time ? 
Orlando Habet, Area Representative, Cayo North East: “We were in opposition that’s right. We went to see Commissioner Vallejos and Vallejos said it’s squatting, it’s illegals we’ll move them. Six months later the lady put a mobile home, it was a trailer home. Vallejos said that’s nothing for a bulldozer and I said but we don’t want it to reach that stage. If you take her out now then it solves the problem. It didn’t happen. Elections came and now the person started to build and we couldn’t get them out and so that’s when the saga started and the problem is every time you go there it’s a lot of noise. So what the chairman did was that he got monies from all the people who got to pay their $2,000 to this gentleman to pay a surveyor. They hired a surveyor and the surveyor went to survey the lots, the cemetery and the park. Lo and behold as soon as he turned around these people were taking out the concrete pillars. So historically it was surveyed once, they took out the pillars. Six months after the surveyor went back to resurvey they took it out again with the assistance of another lady, I think you know who. And then so nothing was happening. By this time now she’s continuing to build on the house and so now she has a formidable structure there. So we made, now the people who … I had am mobile clinic in April of 2022 and so all those people who had paid their $2000 went to Minister Hyde to get a permission to purchase the land officially from the government. And Minister Hyde said you paid already but it’s not officials so you have to pay for the land again. So he gave them their permission to survey. So they asked me as representative can you get to build the roads so that we can access and start taking our materials to build our homes. So in May I hired a bulldozer and took the bulldozer in and as soon as we get close the lady comes out with the camera and starts videoing and putting on Facebook that I am sending the bulldozer to bulldoze her house. It was to build the roads for people to have access so it’s a mess.”

Minister Habet noted that the ringleader for the squatters does not reside in Duck Run Three, and is already in possession of several other parcels of land.  It is a situation that the Minister of Natural Resources, Cordel Hyde, will resolve.  Habet indicated that the concern is the precedence this decision would set when it comes to squatters.

Orlando Habet, Area Representative, Cayo North East: “Minister Hyde being the gentleman that he is he said listen let’s accept that you have lost a portion of the cemetery, the lady is already there and let’s give them their portion, lets survey around give her a parcel of land and then survey the rest for the people who already paid their monies and so that we can establish them. So he said let’s regularize it. There’s no intention of hurting anyone, to displace anyone. But Belize also has certain laws that govern who can get lands so I guess if you are undocumented you can’t get a parcel of land in Belize. So those who are documented will be able to get their parcel those who aren’t can’t. So he decided that the ministry is going to pay for the survey this fourth time. So they went back about a week ago and once again they wanted to apparently take out the CP pillars. I wasn’t present because we had Cabinet meeting on that day and my understanding is that it even led to the police having to take the two persons to the police station.”

Troy Gabb, Host, The Morning Show: And these two persons are they documented or undocumented ? 

Orlando Habet, Area Representative, Cayo North East: “Yes the lady in question she’s a Belizean and so definitely she deserves to have a parcel of land but she’s from another village, went there to squat but remember that other people were already paying for this land so that was a problem. But the truth is that it’s not to displace anyone and Minister Hyde said specifically let’s regularize them.”

Troy Gabb, Host, The Morning Show: So what is the contention then because I fail to see what her contention is. 

Orlando Habet, Area Representative, Cayo North East: “The contention is that they now don’t only want the parcel that they’re squatting on where their house is now they are claiming another parcel and her common law husband is claiming another parcel and his two children, adult children from another wife claiming another two so they’re occupying a lot of the land. “

Troy Gabb, Host, The Morning Show: Are there structures on those properties ? 

Orlando Habet, Area Representative, Cayo North East: “There are no structures on the properties.”

Rene Villanueva, Host, The Morning Show: What will be the outcome of all of this ?

Orlando Habet, Area Representative, Cayo North East: “I think the surveyor was supposed to have completed the surveys yesterday and so he’ll take back his report to the minister the minister will have to make a decision. Because I can’t decide on lands, I can make recommendations but I can’t decide.” 

Troy Gabb, Host, The Morning Show: But as far you’re concerned you’ve accepted the position that the cemetery is going to be reduced in size to accommodate for that structure. 

Orlando Habet, Area Representative, Cayo North East: “Right so while Minister Hyde and I agree on that we are also cognizant that it sets a precedence because now anybody can go and squat.”

Minister Habet said that they have decided to give up the portion of the cemetery land and surrender it to the squatters.