On Tuesday, we told you about the UNESCO report on the Belize barrier reef system World Heritage Site. It concludes Belize’s world heritage sites are poorly protected and “should be considered for immediate inscription on the list of world heritage in danger.” A large part of the problem is the one hundred and fifty or so leases and grants that were issued in the South Water Caye Marine Reserve between 2004 and 2008. Today Minister of Natural Resources Gaspar Vega revelled in the exposure of the details of some of those land transactions approved by his Orange Walk adversary and the man who held the Ministry before he did John Briceno. On Wednesday, Briceno said that if he signed those land papers he did so without any knowledge that they were for properties inside a World Heritage Site. Vega said he had proof to demonstrate otherwise.
Hon. Gaspar Vega, Minister of Natural Resources
“Who gave away all these lands? Our government has not given lease or sold any land within the site. However Mr. Speaker the past administration and principally I must stare at him and say the Hon. Johnny Briceno, leader of the opposition for now. Under his stewardship embarked on a self-destructive program to deprive and to rob yes, yes literally rob the people of this country and the world in extension in the sale and granting of leases in these precious sites.
The leader of the opposition Mr. Speaker has the audacity to go on national television and say that it is the public servants fault that pushed these files so that he can sign them. I could never imagine him stooping that low. Really that is cheap. Mr. Speaker I have here just so the public knows how simple it is to recognize what you’re signing. It is not like you’re reading an entire dictionary so that you can realize what you’re signing. This is a Minister’s fiat Mr. Speaker. It has the name of the person getting the grant, where it is located, the size and how much they pay. Simple and if you have a little doubt, every file has a map.
But Mr. Speaker I want to go even further than that. I brought a file here where it says and I am going to quote exactly what’s written on the file. It says, ‘regarding folio four, I recommend we issue a condition lease with no further development. The land is inside a reserve. Also I do not recommend survey because the leasee may interpret this as establishing his boundaries. Please consider.’ And I want to make mention that who made this advice, who advised the Minister who made this, was a very concerned person and it was not just a regular public servant. It was then the Commissioner of Lands and not even that stopped that Minister. They still went ahead and issued the land. So there is no way the Minister can say the public servant is at fault.
Mr. Speaker not withstanding the steps we have taken, my Ministry and all relevant Ministries, as one government stands committed to review the concerns and recommendations of the World Heritage mission report and to make adjustments wherever necessary.”
Of course that wasn’t the end of it between Vega and Briceno – the sugar city adversaries had a very nasty exchange later on in the day – and we’ll have that for you later.
