We caught up with the minister at one of his Mobile Land Clinics - this one held in Belize Rural North. It's a traveling lands office that Belizeans anticipate because almost everyone has some land problem that they need to resolve.
These clinics seek to deliver those much needed services into communities: residents get a number, wait in line, and then get a chance to speak with the minister personally, or get their matter dealt with immediately.
Today Courtney Menzies was at the clinic and heard from the residents themselves:
Well over a hundred Belize Rural North residents piled into the Sandhill Community Center for that rare opportunity to get their land issues resolved. While most people are forced to travel to Belmopan, in hopes that they could get help, these rural residents benefitted from the Ministry of Natural Resources' Land Clinic.
These clinics are in high demand since land issues are ubiquitous across the country - likely you or someone you know is dealing with one right now.
And that's why the Minister, Cordel Hyde, explained that it's better when the ministry goes to the people instead of waiting for the people to go to them.
Hon. Cordel Hyde, Minister of Natural Resources
"Land issues are varied, they are plenty, and a lot of them lingering for many years and the truth of the matter is that Belmopan, there are so many files, tens of thousands of files, so that we don't have enough hands to keep up with the demand, so we come and do a clinic, we're really taking the department to the people and focusing and giving them priority and so they're able to get their stuff done in a very short time, stuff that's been lingers for many years, they are able to get in a day or two."
"I'm a hands on person, I love engaging with people, I love being in contact with people and so that's kind of right up my alley and the truth of the matter is that the issues are lesion, lots of lots of problem, that date back, I was just dealing with someone with an issue that dates back 20 years. This man won farmer of the year in 2002, promised a bunch of land for his cattle and his farming, he never got it. And he's checking on it 20 years later. So it's those kinds of issues we have to grapple with, and you can't grapple with that sitting on your butt in Belmopan waiting for that action to come to you, you have to go out there and be hands on and take the service to people."
"It's a lot of work on the public officers because it's really different from anything they've ever done before. The truth of the matter is that when we come on these clinics, they work routinely until beyond midnight, just grind right through for multiple days but I see in the eyes of our public officers, the satisfaction they get from satisfying people, from making people happy, as opposed to when you're in Belmopan and there's usually this rank or intensity, in the clinics, people are relaxed, people are able to show their appreciation, and I think the public officers really value that."
And the area rep, Marconi Leal didn't expect the influx of residents that showed up - but he's happy that they will be getting the help they need.
Hon. Marconi Leal, Area Rep., Belize Rural North
"I'm extremely happy that today we have - and I'm also surprised, we have over 200 people showed up this morning, we were expecting at least maybe like 100 because we wanted to see like 100 people today and 100 people tomorrow, but we were pushed, already asked the minister to push, because we want to see as much rural north residents, we want to see as much as we can today."
"People have a lot of different issues when it comes to land, land is a big issue for a lot of people and I'm happy that lands is out here so that we can our rural north residents or people to get some progress with their land documents because it's hard, it's difficult to go to Belmopan from the rural areas."
And the residents are just as grateful - one man said he's been applying for land for almost a decade and another woman explained that all she needed was a signature for her title.
Oscar Pollard Sr., BRN Resident
"I'm here because we have been struggling for a long time, travelling from this area to Belmopan is very horrendous and we really appreciate this because at the end of the day, I believe and I'm certain that we can get our land situation at least in a position that we know where we stand because it is something that is very vital to us."
"I had a lot of my land revoked because of the fact that I'm labelled as a PUP and this was done by the past administration and I'm working on it and I'm glad to say that this present government is assisting me. Likewise it has given me the opportunity to assist others who are less fortunate to travel to Belmopan, I take their documents and look forward for them."
"It's a lot of stress, I have like five pieces of land and I apply to buy in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, haven't gotten any response and now I applied again in 2020 and that is what I'm working on."
Courtney Menzies:
"Talk to us about the issue you came here today to solve."
Cherry May Galvez, BRN Resident
"To get my title for my land, I have it from like 2003 and I just saw the rep to get the title for the land so thanks very much to the minister and Mr Marconi. "
"To get them to sign the paper and that's it, that's all I wanted them to do. I think it's much easier than to go, because you have to catch bus to go and sometimes it's very frustrating to go there, so it is very easy here."
And by the end of the land clinic today, over a hundred residents would have gotten a chance to sort out their issues - and another hundred of them will get that opportunity tomorrow.
The clinic is only for two days in that constituency - and if you haven't gotten a number for tomorrow, you're unfortunately out of luck, because even before 10 this morning, they were all given out.
