The squatters of Chetumal Street South are still dominating the news tonight - and we'll have coverage of all angles of the story.
But we begin right in the middle of it, this afternoon when Works Minister Anthony Boots Martinez went on a walkthrough of the area.
Well, the people there have been waiting for some kind of authority figure from the political directorate - and when Martinez was driving out - they pulled him over on the side of the road. First to step up was no other than the always emotional Maria Menjivar - and here's her face of with the often irascible Minister Martinez - let's just say - they both lived up to their reputations. Here goes:…
Maria Menjivar
"This is my house and yesterday morning they came and break down all these houses."
Hon. Boots Martinez
"But ma'am let me ask a question. We came before and you get a letter that you are not supposed to be here. I am being real with you - you got a letter that you are not supposed to be here and then still you stay here. A lot of people who were here have accepted that they are not supposed to build here. These houses have just being built here; they are not here a long time because we just put in the roads."
Maria Menjivar
"Excuse me, I live a long time here."
Hon. Boots Martinez
"No, you were not here a long time ago. We put in the roads. I am here for arguing."
Maria Menjivar
"You broke down my house. I am not going anywhere. I don't have any money."
Hon. Boots Martinez
"Listen to me, two things happen and I will be straight forward with you that we are in a country where lawlessness is the rule."
Maria Menjivar
"This is my country."
Hon. Boots Martinez
"This is my country too but lawlessness is not the rule. People can't just come and take lands. I am saying to you that there are people that don't even have the right to born and grow here - not have five children here but that are born and grow here."
Maria Menjivar
"I have five children that are born right here in Belize."
Hon. Boots Martinez
"I am saying that there are citizens that are born here. I was born here."
Maria Menjivar
"I was not born here. But I am on the voters list."
Hon. Boots Martinez
"Ma'am it's not a matter that you vote is not valid. I am telling that it is what is the law and lawlessness."
Squatter
"We voted for you all."
Hon. Boots Martinez
"Suppose it was you land, would you want anybody to come and take it?"
Squatter
"Sir we were here before you put this road."
Hon. Boots Martinez
"Those people that are advocates, they have a lot of lands, let them give you some."
Squatter
"We live here before you all put this road."
Hon. Boots Martinez
"I live here and I was born here."
Squatter
"I was born here too."
And while that was this afternoon's Pièce de résistance Martinez also spoke to us at length about the government's reason for proceeding as it did, and why he won't negotiate with those squatters who persisted in building even after they had been warned to cease and desist - he said he doesn't negotiate with criminals.
