The way Belize city was designed, access to many homes can only be gained through a network of alleys that connect house lots to the main streets and roads. But, what happens when one of these is closed up? Well that's what one man on west canal is about to find out as his alley was closed up by a neighbor and the only way he's been able to get in and out of his home is through the assistance of another neighbor who is now also about to close up the access, leaving him locked in. Here's his story:
Alfonso Noble Reporting
It's a rather unassuming piece of land, an alley really, but this small stretch of land, no more than three feet in width is causing big problems. Norman Small says that from the mid nineties, an alley that used to take him to his home was closed off by one of his neighbors
Norman Small
“The problem is that one of my neighbors closed it off. He just asked me about it and I explained yes this is our alleyway from when I was a child, I go through here and shortly after that he closed it up. Put a gate on one end and a gate on this other end here with padlocks and all of that and I can't get through here. So I have now people in front here give me a temporary license to pass through here but they want to close their place off now.”
Pauline Gabourel is that neighbor that's allowing him passages. She says that the problem began at least 9 years ago, at that time, the lot she has her home and business place at was vacant and small began to use her property to access his home.
“My property was vacant at the time and they just wanted access out. You know so they had become comfortable with my access and they denied their access.”
“People come here and say that they have this small little piece of property that is left here for them to have access to their property while they have their whole alleyway from here to water lane which is their original property from maybe since 1936 or so. I just want it to be cleared up because I'm tired of being looked at as the bad guy. I'm just assisting here the situation I give them a license to use my property but it's only valid until they clear up their situation with city council and Mr. Puga.”
Problem is however that the alleyway is now completely shut. Small has used the area of his original access as basically a junk pile. And as for the neighbor, he's developed the alleyway in such a manner that it seems to now be a part of his property.
Pauline Gabourel
“Everybody is looking at the garden behind there and they think that well it's such a nice garden why mess it up but then we are infringing on people's rights here. So I don't know.”
“We have an arrangement, a license, that I gave him that expires every year and it is renewed on the basis that as soon as city council and Mr. Puga and Mr. Small work out this situation then I can just close up my property line so that so he can have access through his original one.”
“Anybody who comes here can look up and see that everything still exists that they have fences that takes you right out to Water Lane.”
And she is right. all evidence points to this, there is the alleyway except that on the water lane side of it there are some zinc sheets covering the entrance. But residents of the area and even Small himself say that the alley is there it's just that it's been gated up.
“I have also relatives coming in from the States, they lived there for years and they can't find me and they are saying where is your alley? I can't find you. Where is your alley? And so that I could way back the family knows about this they've been using I don't know for donkey's years.”
But those donkey's years are not counting for much these days as the past is not the present and now Small is on the verge of being landlocked. If Gabourel decides to close her yard he has nowhere to go.
Q: Would you take the initiative to clear up here and walk through the alley?
Not if I know that I will have more problems than I already have with this particular neighbor right.
"it can compound itself if your neighbor at the front decides to lock you in."
"That is true too so I don't know, maybe I need legal advice on that point. I don't know.
Q:"what happens if you do close up here?"
Pauline Gabourel
"They would be land-locked. They wouldn't be able to get out unless they would take it upon themselves and they just brake down that fence and start walking through that property."
And that seems like the only thing for Small to do but he has not done it because he simply wishes to avoid any problems with his neighbor.
Norman Small
“Would that be legal? Would I not have a problem again with this same neighbor because I walk though that place that he has already closed down? That would be my question.”
Pauline Gabourel
“He is saying that he has never been to court and sometimes the only way you could get justice is to take somebody to court.”
Norman Small
“I talk to a few lawyers to try and get a few ideas on how I can solve this problem. So far it is not solve.”
And that has both Gabourel and Small in distress because Gabourel wants her property back and Small does not want to be caged in.
Pauline Gabourel
“Mr. Puga is not my interest at this point, Mr. Small is because he is the one who is using my property and when we had come to build here he was complaining and saying that he wouldn't be having any breeze and stuff like that. But at the end of the day I am not the bad guy.
Norman Small
“I don't have any idea right at this point but I'm still hoping that something will work out before they close that place. It's almost like hope against hope but I am still hoping that that will work out.”
“Probably these people will close their place and I don't know how I'll get out. I really don't know how it will end.”
That's definitely not good news either for Small or Gabourel. In all fairness to Mr. Puga Small says he has not approached him with his problem to arrive at any solution to it.
Both Small and Gabourel say that the matter has been referred to the Belize City Council for action and so far there has been none. Despite numerous attempts we were unable to reach authorities at the city council.