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Lands Department Says Beach Reserve May Not Be Beach After All
Fri, April 24, 2015
Last night you saw our expose on shady state sanctioned land dealings on Northern Caye Caulker. A British couple claims that they bought beachfront property in 2005 - only to find out in 2012 that the beachfront had been converted into private property. Now, to be clear, the letter of their 2005 land title makes it clear that the property constitutes 120 feet of beachfront. The map shows the same thing. And yesterday the lands commissioner told LOVE FM that what is inscribed on the land title with the approval of the Commissioner of Lands does matter. Here's what he told LOVE yesterday:

Wilbert Vallejos, Comissioner of Lands
"Also we are looking at the titles that they got and interestingly confirms what you said that the title that they got from the government, the original title, makes a specific mention that it is a beach front property. The interpretation what is written on the title is very important to be able to settle this case and so what we are trying to establish at this point in time is in fact the beach reserve is compromised."

According to the former village chairman, the new titles do compromise that beach reserve. And more than that Sydney Higgins said the language of the land title - and the official sanction from the then Lands commissioner cemented his certainty that he bought beachfront property:..

Sydney Higgins, UK Retiree Robbed of Beachfront
"My contract has a plan signed by the register of lands. That's who we were relying upon. That is the plot that I purchase. That's the plan that they made, they gave me and that's not the plan that now exists."

Alberto Villanueva, Caye Caulker Resident/Former Chairman
"Those properties should not have been drawn up in the first place. Those leases or Minister Fiat Grant should not have been given in the first place. It is water. It is nothing but water and mud."

Andrew Bennett, Attorney
"Leonardo Dicaprio just bought an island that he plans to do an eco-friendly resort. Can he feel confident now with this precedence that later on the government can grant to some private individual the sea bed in front of his island because it's national land and have development going on there?"

And while they are all of the opinion that the new titles are for properties on the beach and seabed, a release from the Commissioner of Lands and Survey today makes it clear that, quote, "Preliminary investigation suggests that the beach reserve has not been compromised." It adds that the results of the full ongoing investigation will provide confirmation or otherwise.

That seems to be a stiff blow for the more than 15 landowners who have been jilted of their beach-frontage. The release affirms that there are, quote, "provisions for the allowance of a beach reserve for public access that precedes any property line." It adds, quote "Any and all crown land that adjoins such reserve is subject to distribution or further reservation…" That would seem to suggest that there is an interpretation that what the former chairman calls swamp, is now being classified as usable land. We'll keep pressing for definitive answers.

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