And tensions have been subsiding in Toledo, especially between the Yemeri Grove and Laguna Villagers. And the former have something to celebrate, with the issuance of land titles. The Minister of Natural Resources and the area rep have been working together to find land for the villagers, but were met with roadblocks because of the Consent Order. However, they managed to deserve a portion of the Machaca Forest Reserve, and handed out those titles yesterday. Here is a snippet of that ceremony.
Cordel Hyde, Minister of Natural Resources
"And I told him, well, we're going to serve you some lots, my brother. We're going to get a thousand lots if possible or more. And big things are going to happen. And this man was excited for days and weeks."
"And then, you know, our people came out and they were on the ground checking it out. And we were flowing and boom. It all had to stop. It all had to stop because there is uncertainty. We are in uncharted territory with this whole Mayan, customary land tenure policy that has to be worked out."
"And we have to respect that. It's a court judgment from the highest court in all of the land. And we're not a renegade government. We're a government in a democratic country. We're a country of laws."
"And we have to respect that. And what kind of message would we send into our people if we don't respect the laws of the country? If the government can't respect and uphold the laws of the country, then we are really, really in big trouble."
"As difficult as that may be, as challenging as that is, as uncertain as that is, we have to find a way to navigate, to work through our issues. But we can't talk too hard about where we got these lots from because then one of our other colleagues is going to get kind of concerned, right?"
"But we'll deal with that because you have a right to get yours, you know, and ultimately this country is for all of us. We're divided by, you know, this district and this village and this community, but ultimately we're all Belizeans."
Oscar Requena, Toledo West
"I have the will to want help our people. We had a major obstacle here in the Toledo District. And the major obstacle had to do with the, you know, this CCJ ruling, the Caribbean Court of Justice ruling of 2015."
"But I said, you know what? I have always been a fighter. I am not somebody who will give up. I have always been a fighter. And I said, we must find a way around this. And I spoke to my very good friend and colleague, the Deputy Prime Minister and to the Prime Minister and other cabinet colleagues."
"And I said, you know what, I really want to help our people. I said, what about if we try to de-reserve a piece of the Machaka Forest Reserve so that we can make lots available? And I must say, DPM was very supportive from the very beginning."
"And I spoke to Minister Landy since, you know, Forestry Falls and Minister Landy. And he said, let's take a proposal to cabinet for the de-reservation of a portion of that area. Because it's no longer reserved."
"I mean, way back then it was, it's no longer reserved. And I was all excited. And I said, you know what, we're going to make a thousand lots available to the people of the Toledo District."
