When a proposal appeared in the gazette of April 22nd 2006, for government to take possession of choice real estate on Northern Lagoon, it forced the resurgence of a long unheard name in Belize: Marcus Garvey's UNIA - the United Negro Improvement Association. The issue is that the land was left to the UNIA by Isaiah Morter, and now local Garveyites have banded together to resist and they're doing that by reanimating the Belize chapter of the UNIA. Yesterday that wish came a step closer to becoming a reality when the UNIA-ACL presented a charter to the Isaiah Morter/TV Ramos division of the organization. We were at Liberty Hall on Thursday afternoon to find out more.
Alfonso Noble Reporting,
Today the Liberty Hall on Barrack Road stands as testament to the damning effects that party politics can have on institutions that once had greater purpose. This dilapidated building was once the hub for Marcus Garvey's UNIA operations here in Belize. After the decline of that organization the building also began its decline, but not before serving as the original excelsior school before it had to be abandoned because of the deteriorating conditions. These continued up until it was taken over by the Pickstock Institute of Fine Arts in the 90's after which it was again abandoned and continued on its descent leaving behind only political placards to serve as patchwork for the condemned building. Now what remains of the original owners of the Liberty Hall have resurfaced in Belize.
Faruq Muhammad, Counsel General - UNIA
"We are going to move forth with possession of the Liberty Hall."
Faruq Muhammad is the counsel general of the UNIA-ACL, a breakaway arm of the original UNIA Inc that owned Liberty Hall after it was willed to the organization by Belize's first black millionaire Isaiah Morter. Muhammad came to Belize to present a charter to the UNIA branch of Belize known as the Isaiah Morter/TV Ramos division. Along with this is a memorandum of understanding in which the UNIA-ACL promises support for the restoration of Liberty Hall.
Faruq Muhammad,
"We just recently passed a proposal to assist the members here in Belize in restoring Liberty Hall. So we are now going to look at what's the best way to do that, whether or not it can be restored to its original state or whether or not it has to be completely rebuilt but just as yesterday we had a Memorandum of Understanding that has been signed by significant organizations and individuals to help work with us to do this job."
Emerson Guild,
"We've been calling out for help in our own communities from our own people and we've never gotten that help. However the call reached the UNIA headquarters a few months ago and they have come to our aid and in a big way. They are taking on the responsibility to make sure we get the assistance necessary to revitalize this whole property situation, the Isaiah Morter property or estate."
But with the promise of revitalizing of the Liberty Hall comes the question of why UNIA-ACL is in Belize in the first place. Muhammad explains that lands, 947 acres of it in the Northern Lagoon Area that formed part of the Morter estate are the reason.
Faruq Muhammad,
"Once we realized that the lands that were willed by Isaiah Morter had not been properly possessed and that the African Redemption Program had not been functional in Belize then the President General ordered me to respond immediately."
Alfonso Noble,
So you are here basically to take claim?
Faruq Muhammad,
"That's part of it but what I am trying to get you to understand is that we were coming here anyway. It is just because the Minister's office said that we only had a few weeks to respond otherwise we would have lost that land claim and we have legal responsibility to respond."
And while that legal responsibility has not elicited response form government, for Belize's Emerson Guild who now holds the keys to the Liberty Hall he's happy to see some interest coming back to a long neglected piece of real estate.
Emerson Guild,
"The Marcus Garvey situation in Belize and the UNIA situation was not paramount in my vision. It was more the physical driving past the Liberty Hall and constantly seeing it in decay and wanting to do something about it and we eventually did when we took possession of it about six months ago.
Ownership is really what you do. This place can't go anywhere, it can't go anywhere and I don't think we have any intention to go anywhere and leave it. When we leave it is when it is gone. We need to see the Liberty Hall repaired and reinstated to its prominence and we intend to do that."
Along with the Isaiah Morter/TV Ramos division, the Black Cross Nurses Association of Belize has also received a charter.
