It's one of the city's most popular nightspots - but it looks like Putt Putt Bar will have to relocate because government has sold the land that the club sits on. In the mid 90's, the land had been leased to the Colonial Band Association, or as it's known, the CBA for 30 years. But now that lease has been cancelled. Wave Radio reported it first this morning and when we checked with Putt Putt owner Orson Elrington who also manages the property for the CBA - he told us he was shocked to hear of it.
Jules Vasquez,
What was your reaction when you heard it?
Orson Elrington, Manager - Putt Putt
"Well astonishment, surprised, baffled, but not too stunned because in some manners because factions of the government, factions of the ruling party have made it quite clear that they want the property and they want the property outside of our hands, outside the control of the people of CBA, outside of the control of my hands so that part is not too surprising to me. When the property was given to the CBA under the premise that it would remain in the hands of local Belizeans, specifically black local Belizeans because of the whole environment they saw, the trend that was happening. All of the properties in that area were
going into the hands of foreigners.
So the agreement with the government was written in such a way that it remained undoubtedly in the hands of CBA specifically. But the ideology behind it is that it would remain in the hands of Belizeans and black Belizeans. But I love fights so we are going to move from there. I think that definetly in this case I being the David. I love being David in this and in this case I would just love to take down Goliath."
When we spoke to Area Representative Jose Coye this afternoon he confirmed that the lease has been cancelled and that there is a new owner who has full title. Coye said that he is a former member of CBA and he felt that the group had no interest in the property and had abandoned the lease. He says he ok'd it for the construction of a craft training center by a private individual and a basketball court to be managed by the Sports Council. That private individual is Alfred Shakron and he reportedly bought the property from government for less than $20,000. We contacted his office for comment, but he did not return our calls. And while Coye says he will build a craft training center, our information suggests that he has other plans, more in the line of a business complex.
