Villagers of Cotton Tree have to be getting ready for some new neighbors - because the Barrow Administration has set aside 240 lots to be shared up between eight UDP controlled Belize City constituencies. But as we've told you Cotton Tree's Village Council says Central Government insulted and ignored its villagers by not consulting or offering the land to them.
Boots Martinez has been targeted as the main culprit probably because he's been to the area many times to tell Hispanic villagers who were squatting that they need to make way for his constituents - who are invariably creole. Indeed, the racial undercurrent is the elephant in the room on this one, and today Martinez addressed it head on:..
Hon. Anthony "Boots" Martinez
"First thing they talk about "come ya." Well first thing I must remind the chairman that there is no "come ya" for me who born and the other Belizean people who were born here - there is no "come ya" and secondly, that that land was bought government, acquired not for any village extension in regards to supplying lots to Belize City residents. This is not about balkanization, I have problems when it deems to me that it is about balkanization and also having heard the chairman making comments about people who are from the City and so. Port Loyola have doctors, we have nurses - thugs are coming up there and thing. I am sorry, I totally dismiss that."
Jules Vasquez
"Do you think a racial factor is at play here?"
Hon. Anthony "Boots" Martinez
"That definitely for sure in Cotton Tree, it's a racial issue and I make no apologies because I heard it from the Chairman and the other Hispanic people in that village. But that don't move me, and the original founders of both More Tomorrow and Cotton Tree were Creole people you know."
No hearing date has been set yet for the Village Council and their attorney Andrew Marshalleck to challenge the government's granting land in the area and bypassing the village lots committee.
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