Toledo Elder Battles Land Encroachment as Health Declines

The story of Petrona Franco has been circulating on social media this past week, telling the story of a senior citizen whose health has significantly deteriorated.  The well-known woman of Big Falls Village, Toledo District, has been reportedly fighting an uphill battle over land that a foreigner has been encroaching on for years.  The family says the financial burden and the stress have led to serious health complications.  We join our Belmopan Correspondent, LJay Wade, for more on this story.

Ljay Wade, Belmopan Correspondent: An 84 year old resident of Big Falls village, Petrona Franco, affectionately known in her community as Momma Tona, is currently bedridden in Belmopan after suffering a massive stroke. According to her family, the medical emergency was brought on by the immense stress of an ongoing land dispute that is currently before the High Court of Belize. The issue began last year when a neighbouring foreign national allegedly began using a portion of Momma Tona’s land without her permission. Despite efforts to block access to the property, the individual reportedly continued to encroach on the land. 

Josimar Franco, Son of Momma Tona: “Everything began over a piece of property that belongs to my mom with a foreigner, the neighbor. She’s basically  forcing over all means ownership for the piece of land. So she was very kind to this neighbor and we let her use the road and when now we come to a decision that we don’t want it as a road access no more, she start taking it to the courts and stuff and got it to Belize High Court. It’s a verbal  permission they had, not with my mom with my uncle, but he passed away like four years now. And then I’m the reason why we’re closing off the road access to her is that we had permission to go through her property so we can access the river. But then she went and she fenced the place. She locked it off. So we don’t have permission no more to get to the river. My family has to go all the way around through the survey to get to the river. So the family came together and like okay we don’t have that access so she won’t have access through my mom’s property to get to her house.”

Ljay Wade, Belmopan Correspondent: So it was like a mutual agreement at first. 

Josimar Franco, Son of Momma Tona: “Yeah, but that was with the previous owner. So when that previous owner sold the property, it continued. But now, you know, my mom, all she’s requesting is to lock off the road. She don’t want it as a road access no more. And it’s a private property. You know, it’s under her name. She have all the paperwork, everything. So that’s all she wants like for us to  be able to lock off the road and she don’t want anything to do  with the foreigner, with the neighbor. It’s crazy how  foreigners want to come and take over Belizean territory like  they could do whatever they want. And that’s just brought my mom down to where she at now.”

Ljay Wade, Belmopan Correspondent:  After several months of dispute, the matter was escalated to the courts. Momma Tona’s son believes the ongoing legal battle and associated financial strain contributed to her deteriorating health.

Josimar Franco, Son of Momma Tona: “My mom from day one of the dispute started her health just started going down. She’s 84, never visited a hospital, never been in courts, never had police come over to her house. Never had the Alcalde, the chairman to try to correct something over at her house because my mom’s not the type of person to create a problem. She’s very kind-hearted. My mom is sick now with high blood pressure.  It led to the stroke. Bedridden she cannot, she’s barely eating, she’s barely talking, a few words and she gets tired.  But every day passes by we see a difference in her, know, recovery really slow. It’s hard for us, you know, because  she’s always been a very dependable woman. She does her stuff on her own, she doesn’t depend on no one and now she’s bedridden and all she does is sleep, a few words she gets tired,  go back to sleep and expect someone to always be there for her now. And it’s very depressed. It’s very hard.”

Ljay Wade, Belmopan Correspondent: To make matters worse, the family says the court is still requesting that Momma Tona appear in person to defend her claim despite her current condition. 

Josimar Franco, Son of Momma Tona: “The worst part is that they don’t want anyone out of no means anyone to represent her. They want her in person, they want her present, they want her speaking and one of the problems with my mom is that I guess it’s because of her age. She has a little problem with hearing, understanding,  her vision. So we could be here speaking but yet I would have to come and repeat to her the same question so she could give you an answer. And that’s what we explained to them, and they don’t accept it. They don’t want anyone to speak for her  in court.”

Ljay Wade, Belmopan Correspondent: The Franco family says they are doing everything they can to care for their mother while covering mounting medical and legal expenses. They are appealing to the public for any assistance. If you would like to help, can reach your family at 673-0106 or make a donation to Atlantic Bank account number 212036786. Reporting for Love News, LJ Wade.