Since the end of September, we've been telling you about the flashpoint in relations between the neighboring villages of Laguna - which is Mayan - and Yemeri Grove which is creole and East Indian. The two clashed over border lands between the villages - with both sides claiming proprietary rights over them.
Well, a surprise settlement has been hammered out. A late evening press release form government says that Government Representatives including the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples' Affairs, Ministry of Natural Resources, Ministry of Rural Transformation, Belize Police Department, and Government Legal Representative- Senior Counsel Andrew Marshalleck convened with the village leaders of the Yemeri Grove and Laguna this afternoon in Punta Gorda Town.
The meeting was focussed on agreeing on a temporary border as an interim measure to de-escalate tensions between the villages.
The release says, "The parties reached an agreement on an interim boundary with some key actions both parties agreed not to undertake in the disputed area. The Government agreed to draft the agreement for both parties to sign in the coming days. Additionally, the Government has agreed to prioritize defining a permanent boundary between Yemeri Grove and Laguna." End quote.
