Beverly Castillo is the former CEO of the Ministry of Natural Resources, and as we've reported, she resigned from the post to enter into politics. She's offering herself for UDP standard bearer in Belize Rural Central.
But, tonight, Audrey Matura Shepherd says that before she left office, Castillo secured a prime piece of land for her family. The land is in Belama at the corner of Albert Hoy and Chetumal Streets - which happens to be right across from Matura-Shepherd's office and residence.
The Pickwood family is claiming they have a lease to the piece of land for over 10 years now, and that was unfairly taken away from them - under Castillo's hand - without any notice from the Lands Department.
The allegation is that in November, when Castillo was still the CEO of the Ministry of Natural Resources, the lease was cancelled without due notice, and it was transferred to Castillo's family - specifically her mother Maud Williams and her son. The Pickwood family says that they've made investments on the land, such as paying their property taxes, and making a loan to the Belize Bank.
Their attorney, Audrey Matura-Shepherd, took on the case and she's made interventions on their behalf, which she says are being undermined because the new lease owners are trying to expedite to land title acquisition.
Matura-Shepherd and Bernard Pickwood Jr. invited the media out to the location of the piece of land today. Here's how they explained the situation:
Audrey Matura-Shepherd, Attorney
"Two weeks ago I was contacted by Ms. Bernadette Pickwood, she said that she has come back into the country because she is a single Belizean woman working hard in the US and as she makes her money, she is trying to build her retirement home. She called me because she found out when she came around here that construction started on her land. What you need to understand is that she has already had her piles driven in and capped on this land, so she came now with money to start her own beams and foundation because this is her dream home, she is building slowly."
"Lo and behold, she finds out that they cancelled her leased, but she never got a notice. She went to the Lands Department and she was told that the lease was cancelled on the 1st November without her getting notice as is required by the National Lands Act, that says, you need to give the person; give them reasonable time to go and defend their position and if you at the Lands Department are not satisfied then you can forfeit that lease. She didn't get that. But what you find on the record at Lands Department is that on that same day when they officially cancelled her lease, it was immediately transfer to the name of Maud Williams and Mervin Castillo Jr. Now those names may mean nothing to you all, but what you need to know is that is the mother of the former CEO of Lands Mrs. Beverly Castillo and that is the son of Mrs. Beverly Castillo."
"On the 1st November, the records will show that they forfeit her lease and on that same day you give it to someone else. Now the Lands Department told me that the 1st of November they sent out a letter. So where is the good faith? So, you mean she only had an hour before you lodge someone else's name - that is, I am sorry - bad faith."
Bernard Pickwood Jr., Brother of Bernadette Pickwood
"As you can clearly see we are people who are law abiding citizens. We are not going about this the wrong way. We are going through what is the legal way. We hope at the end of the day that the courts will prove us right, that we still live in a law abiding country and that they will do right by us because we have done nothing wrong. We have worked on this land; we have paid our property taxes. There was an issue on the rent. We have cleared that up, we've paid the rent, so there is absolutely no reason - my sister had even applied to get title and she was told that she can't get title until she builds, yet right now presently at the Lands Department they are about to issue title to these people who have not built anything as yet."
Matura Shepherd has written to the Commissioner of Lands to voice their complaints and in a response was sent on December 18, 2013. The two main points of contention stated are that quote "A land rent statement shows that no rent was paid for the land since 1993; so at November 2013, the account had a balance of $720.00." End Quote. Bernard Pickwood Jr. told the media today that this discrepancy was cleared up, and they don't owe any land rent. What they were able to show us was a list of property taxes for the piece of land which shows that she's been paying from 1993 all the way up to the middle of 2013.
The letter in response to Matura also says that a forfeiture notice was issued to Pickwood due to "non-development and non-payment of rent. The legal counsel for the land department also notes that the lease originates from 1993, and the land was not developed in a 3 year timeframe as is required, with a building with a value of at least $45,000.00. It concedes quote, "Our file indicates that communication was sent to your client; however we concede that no gazette notice was issued." End quote.
7News attempted to speak with Beverly Castillo, but she declined comment saying that the matter is before the court.
That happened this afternoon, when Audrey Matura-Shepherd was able to get an emergency injunction heard before Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin. She was able to successfully argue on behalf the Pickwoods that the court should stop the Castillo family from building anything else on the land, which as we showed you, they were pouring concrete for a foundation.
Chief Justice Benjamin granted the injunction, which went into effect forthwith and stands until January 21st.
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