7 News Belize

Bridgefoot Property Dispute
posted (January 7, 2015)

Many of you might be familiar with Raymond Jones also known as "Naphty". We covered his "Drums not Guns" initiative which eh started last year to get young men involved in a process he calls "healing the country with music". But while Naphty wants peace and love to spread among the Belizean people, peace certainly does not reign where his business is stationed– at the foot of the swing bridge. A long-standing property dispute which was sparked in 2008 between Jones and the neighboring business has caused discord between the two.

The dispute has been ongoing for years, and it has been taken to court. But while the court proceedings are ongoing, on site, tensions have intensified between both owners. Jones claims it all started with a personal conflict involving his sons in 2008.

Raymond "Naphty" Jones

"The whole thing about out there is, while going through the court proceeding, it was alleged that I didn't have anything to do with out there, I didn't put 1 cent in the construction cost of this structure, I didn't do no labour, which is totally lie and false. Anybody that been in Belize and know that I am a Belizean, I'm not an outside residence, as the people side of me from Orange Walk. I have been here and I openly embrace, like anyone who wants to do business. Every mouth has to be fed, I'm not going to deny nobody but then it turn out where it was alleged that I am squatting, I am squatting on somebody's land. 2008 I started going to the council to remove myself from a joint lease arrangement to my personal lease arrangement. That took a long time for it to eventually manifest where the lease were separate and distinct. Spit arise behind that because then behind the spite, okay I will get you because he told my sons them one time, I told you not to tell him nothing."

We also spoke with the owner of the neighboring business off camera and he says Jones fabricated the issue involving his sons and that it all has to do with Jones' scheme to force him out of the area. While Jones told us that he has invested in his business area the neighboring owner says that is also false and that Jones gave no money to the development of that area. The owner says that he is the rightful lease owner of the building and has invested over $50,000 while Jones pretty much just showed up there to cause trouble. The neighboring owner claims that Jones has been tormenting him and that he has taken that matter to court. According to the neighboring owner, the next court date is set for February 13th.

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