There continues to be agitation for government to acquire and then subdivide the 1,300 acres of land at mile 40 on the Western Highway. It reached fever pitch yesterday when for the second consecutive Sunday, hundreds of land seeking Belizeans showed up at mile 40 in Cotton Tree Village to sign up the get piece of land. It was an impressive crowd and the spearheading the movement Nigel Petillo explained the reason for the stand they are taking.
Nigel Petillo, Organizer
“I am asking you to make you get yourselves on the list. When we come next week Sunday based on the list so far, because of course not the whole two thousand of you all will get when you come Sunday again but when you come next week Sunday we should have another two to three acres already cut off and we will dish that out again.
Big people from in the Ministry Department. People from Lands are here. Some of them have worked for a long time at Lands and they can’t get no land. They see Ministers come after Ministers and they can’t get no land. This man from Lands isn’t here because he is fighting against his Ministry, he is here to stand up for the rest of us who are concerned about the distribution process. It has failed us. The land distribution process has failed us and that is why we are here. The masses aren’t here because they want a piece of land, enough man who is out here done have land already. They are here because they want to stand up with their Belizean brothers and sisters who can’t get the attention that they rightly deserve. That is what they are here for.”
Government maintains that the land will be distributed on a first come, first serve basis and it has advised persons to cease and desist any settlement activity.
