Tensions flare in Duck Run Three

A land squatter of Duck Run Three, Cayo District, is facing the possibility of being fined thousands of dollars after uprooting survey pillars from an estimated 28 land parcels.  Love News understands that a group of squatters has been demanding land rights in the area, and has been preventing surveyors from entering the area to reinstall the land markers.  This morning, a resident of the area, Juan Carlos Ruano, went live on social media, showing a small protest that resulted in the arrest of two women.  According to the lead protestor, Rosa Letkeman, she wants the Prime Minister and Ministers Orlando Habet and Cordel Hyde to go to the village to meet with them.  Reports indicate that on multiple occasions, squatters have removed the land markers placed by government contracted surveyors, claiming that the parcels already have owners.  During the protest this morning, Police intervened and detained two of the protestors, who were blocking the surveyors.  According to the protestors, they have been squatting on the land for over fifteen years, and now they want land titles.

Love News reached out to the Area Representative, Orlando Habet, who explained that they have been trying to reason with Letkeman for some time now.  He added that the group of squatters are costing the government thousands of dollars each time they interfere with the survey pillars.

Orlando Habet, Area Representative: “The people from Duck Run 3 had applied for some land, a parcel of land that was requested for subdivision. It has been through that process three times where surveyors have gone in, surveyed the particular lots that have been applied for but on three occasions this lady who is actually squatting on a parcel of land to the community and is designated as a cemetery has been taking out the pillars. It is illegal because it is a government property, it is a government asset and she continues to do it. Because of what has happened before that as soon as the surveyors reach she takes out her phone and starts recording puts it’s on Facebook Live we decided we had to do a different approach because the people are clamoring for their lots and they want to regularize everything else. So in agreement with the Minister of Natural Resources, Honorable Cordel Hyde, he said listen we need to regularize everyone so that everyone gets through equity so that everyone can have an opportunity to have their parcel of land and to get their documents in order. So that is what is being done today. They asked that the police accompany the officers because the officers and the surveyors have been scared and haven’t wanted to go again but those who have applied for the land want it surveyed and they want to know the designation of the parcels and that is only done through the surveyor. So that was what was being done today. I was in Cabinet so I’m not certain what exactly transpired except what I saw, pictures and maybe people calling about what happened. But it has been difficult. The government wants to do the best it can. We want to really regularize it so that everyone has that opportunity to get their parcel of land. We know that they are squatters. In addition we all know that in Belize there is squatters rights.”

To our understanding, the land situation in Duck Run Three, goes even further than just squatters wanting land titles.  According to the Area Rep., the squatters are obstructing the plans for a cemetery.

Orlando Habet, Area Representative: “I think the village is growing and they need to have their own cemetery. Currently they’re sharing one cemetery amongst nine or ten villages and it’s not proper. So they have designated this land. So even though there was a larger parcel designated for the cemetery but because others have now occupied portions of it and not to really cause any more friction the government decided let them have their parcel and then we’ll just have a smaller cemetery. But the process has to be done legally. So alright now you have your house there so they will survey around the house, give you your parcel but then you can’t continue obstructing the government from putting in it’s concrete pillars which are the legal way of marking everybody’s house lot. I think that if she has been taken to the station then I think it is onerous upon the law, the police to make certain that she understands that every time you pull out a pillar you get a $500 fine. She has done it three times and there are over 28 lots so it’s a lot of pillars that she pulled out. So if she’d be charged she’d be charged in the thousands. So she has to understand that and the others who are supporting her have to understand that also. There are people who have paid for these parcels of land and they want to now have roads that they’d be able to take in their sand, gravel, steel, their materials to build their homes.”

Back in May, Letkeman called the media out to the village where she explained that she had been squatting on the land since 2014.  She noted back then that when she began squatting, she cleared the land with no help from the government.  According to the squatters, they have planted crops, and have built on the lands over the past decade.