And from car accidents to a land issue… A couple in Caye Caulker is asking for consideration from the owner of the property directly in front of theirs. That owner is looking to start developing on his land, which is his right. But, they say it will block access to the couple's home, leaving them in harm's way in the event of an emergency. Courtney Menzies visited their island home and has the story.
Vivian Paula Jones and her husband, Shawn Latchman, have been living in this area of Caye Caulker Village for close to thirty years.
They started off as squatters and then became landowners by slowly developing the area. But now, they say their way of life is being threatened.
The couple get in and out of their yard through this road, but it passes through private property - and the owner is ready to start developing on the land, which they believe will cut off their access.
Vivian Paula Jones, Resident
"This place was a swamp. When we start development, it was a swamp and the mud used to reach our knees. But the thing that hurts us now, to see people come and tell us they give us minutes or days to make us not use this access, we want to know how."
"If I like an investor come and invest in a beach that belongs to the public, I have no right to tell them to not put their boat, I have no right to put a gate and put private property. That is the thing that we've been living here for years."
But their plight is not with the development of the beach reserve, but rather being caged in on their own lot.
And while they do have an easement given to them by another property owner, they are not satisfied with it, since the road is not wide enough for a vehicle to pass through. They are worried that in times of emergencies, they won't be able to make it out alive.
Vivian Paula Jones, Resident
"The only thing we begging, we want a proper access to come out of here, we applying to the village council, it's already time to make them come to this area and put things together. Him is a tour guide and a fisherman. Where him will put his boat?"
Shawn Latchman, Resident
"They are telling the investors that we already have an access, but you see how small the access they gave us? The firetruck can't go through that in case of emergency. Two land the block we, you have that one and plus the investors the block we too."
The couple feels it is a tragedy foretold:
Vivian Paula Jones, Resident
"We don't say anything about the development, they already have all of this privatize. But think about us. We have to burn up, lose our lives, to make them realise..."
We reached out to the owner of the property, Luke Espat, who denied a recorded interview but did comment to us that he gave the couple ample notice that he will start developing the land, and believes their agenda is a political one. He does not feel the need to allow them to keep using his land as their access road since there is another very ample, 20 foot wide easement in place. Espat also confirms that his property includes the beach reserve and according to him goes right into the sea.
