The Beach at the Placencia Pint, it's a spot that anyone who's ever spent a weekend in the village is likely to have pleasant memories of. But for those who live in the village, it's the Sunday swim spot, the place where they learned to swim and developed what's likely a lifelong love affair with sun, sand and sea.
And more recently when Tipsy Tuna's ex-pat neighbours kicked the village's festivals and events off Tipsy's volleyball court citing issues with noise, those festivals ended up at the "Pint".
But tonight, the villager's swim and party spot has all but been taken away, after its new property owner started building a fence. Yesterday while in the village we spoke to a group of residents who were angry about what could mean an expulsion of the public from the Pint.
Last week when we spoke with CEO of Natural Resources Paul Thompson about the.4 acres being contested at the Placencia "Pint" he told us that the space that had once been a beach reserve had been eroded by time and the tides.
But yesterday when our news team traveled to the beach, residents told us that in fact the opposite had happened and in fact the beach had accreted.
Magda Morales, Owner, The Shak
"Well the water used to be maybe, I will say 16 to 20 feet from where my structure is, that is where I planted some coconut trees actually because there was a fisherman that had a peg, a metal pipe that he used to tie his boat."
"It was right there where the dock is. So over the years since I've been here I have seen this beach grow tremendously after this dock was built in 2012,"
And once that accretion had been established and registered with the lands department the question was who would be able to turn it into property.
First right to that application is traditionally the right of the adjacent property owner but given the strategic importance of this beach, Placencia's Village council also voiced their interest.
Warren Garbutt, Chairman, Placencia Village Council
"We approached the government on several occasions trying to apply for the property that accreted which was government property. As early as 2013. I can remember a meeting with the then minister. It was brought to his attention then that the council was interested in this property. Fast forward to 2017."
"And again the council approached seeking possession of the property, not necessarily for the village council but as government land so that everyone could enjoy it.We were not given the privilege of owning it. I think simply because I could remember we were given an excuse that, um, we were given an excuse that because I think other council's at the time were selling property, they were not in the practice of giving titled land to municipalities."
But while the chairman says that some residents think the village council wasn't aggressive enough in securing this all important parcel.
Lloydia Westby, Former Village Councillor
"They were always told that it was being worked on, we are working on it, we are working on it."
Cherisse Halsall:
"And they believed that?"
Lloydia Westby, Former Village Councillor
"They did and the next thing we knew stakes went in and then fence went down. And what I don't understand is why the government just sat idly by knowing the fight that we had. When I say the government I mean the lands but also area representatives over the years. They know that this right here, when we lose this, when we lose this we will lose a part of the beauty of Placencia, natural beauty."
And Westby was is far from the only villager to hold those sentiments, we met at least 5 residents who were very upset about the possibility of being barred from this beach.
Laurie Picart, Resident, Placencia
"Well this is the main beach where are the locals come every weekend, every Sunday. There are very few Belizean people left in the main beach area and this little piece here is kind of the jewel it's the spot where people can gather and have their festivals and have art shows, I couldn't imagine seeing this developed and built up to the point that they've now taken the public beach away."
Wendy Lemus, Owner, Wendy's Restaurant
"The real estate whoever was involved in this behind the scenes you know, they know what they were doing, they know because they knew that the community was already applying and trying to save this piece of land for the community and these are my words and I am hoping that we get the support that we are looking for."
Carrie Bonnen, Resident, Placencia
"I do have an issue with the way that Real Estate is done here, I worked in Real Estate in Canada, I don't agree with it, there should be no way that this is not village land, okay and whoever the real estate person is and whoever the new owner is has to realize that this is a very important piece of property to them and to this community, there has to be a way to negotiate this and leave this the way it is."
And whatever that negotiation, it will have to consider the newest portion of the Placencia sidewalk, which now finds itself firmly within this new land owner's property and proposed fence.
But residents like tour guide Eworth Garbutt won't hear that.
Eworth Garbutt, Tour Guide
"My point to this good investor that comes to Belize is that this part won't fly, it's unfortunate that her decent, nice, clear land title was given but it was messed up and contaminated by a.4 who turned it into cancer so this will be a land dispute and it's very unfortunate because I applaud investors but the one thing if you touch on the nation, the last little piece that is left for us."
"So that is just simple we are not going anywhere, this side walk will not move from here. I already told, the police everybody already knows that. This is not going to move from here."
Magda Morales, Owner, The Shak
"As you see a fence is going up so you know actions speak louder than words. Right, you don't have to say anything, you can tell me, I'm gonna do this, I'm gonna do that but when you start to put up a fence then you show exactly where you are coming from."
And despite all the discord thats building on this beach, Chairman Garbutt says he hasn't given up yet.
Warren Garbutt, Chairman, Placencia Village Council
"I am hopeful, recently we had a meeting with the present Minister responsible for natural resources, our council along with some of the representatives at the Ministry and I am hopeful that we will come to a favourable solution for the people of Placencia."
