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Cordel Hyde Alleges Vega Family Land Scandal
posted (December 9, 2016)
And while Finnegan had fun with that one - it was no laughing matter in the House today when PUP Shadow Minister for Natural Resources Cordel Hyde exposed another Vega family land scandal. Hyde pointed to a usual scheme where 50 adjoining pieces of land were acquired by persons who immediately flipped them over to Vega family members. One of the "flippers" is Hilmar Alamilla - the same Vega henchman who flipped the controversial parcel of land along Haulover Creek to Andre Vega. Hyde gave the broad outlines of the Vega family land scheme:..

Hon. Cordel Hyde, PUP Shadow Minister of Natural Resources
"It was probably 4 years ago that the member from Orange Walk North and it's a pity he is not here today, told the world and country; he said "I am not a normal person in Belize" and we laughed. We took him likely, but these folks are very serious folks. I have in my possession Mr. Speaker, 50 land documents from inside the fabled land department. Land transactions that revealed a meticulously orchestrated move to get land from government, pass it on to ordinary people, who then flipped it to the former minister's family. In his capacity as minister he transferred based on these documents 55 parcels of land to 40 plus persons. The lands are all adjacent to each other and those persons in short order, in a few weeks, sometimes in a few months then flipped that land to 3 members of the former minister's family. I am allowed to do that?"

Hon. Michael Peyrefitte, House Speaker
"What I want to ask you is this? Are you going to imply that the minister was directly involved in the corruption that you claimed you have evidence of"

Hon. Cordel Hyde, PUP Shadow Minister of Natural Resources
"I am just going to state the facts and have people decide that."

Hon. Michael Peyrefitte, House Speaker
"But there must be a reason why you bring it up member."

Hon. Cordel Hyde, PUP Shadow Minister of Natural Resources
"I bring it up because ordinary people all over this country have the hardest possible time to try to get a little 50x75 swamp and if they can't get that, then we should decry whenever it appears that something on toward happens and government land subdivided near to each other ends up in the hands - 1600 acres of the roadside off the Phillip Goldson Highway, ends up in the hands of 3 persons from one family."

Hon. Michael Peyrefitte, House Speaker
"I don't want to stifle you member, but the rules are very clear in the house. You cannot speak on the conduct of another member or impute an improper motive without a motion to accomplish that."

Hon. Cordel Hyde, PUP Shadow Minister of Natural Resources
"But Speaker, this is real, this is public records. The same thing that happened when PUP was in, is happening now where documents are being leaked left, right and center. The people of Belize needs to know what's happening or what has happened. Why it is that they can't get a little lot. I am just stating for the record. That's all I am doing and if the minister did nothing wrong, then so be it. But all I am saying is this; how is it that you end up with 50 lots adjacent to each other and all the persons who got those lots then turned around and flipped them? Is it that they don't like land? Is it that all 50 persons suddenly got sick? Or some misfortune befell their family or someone in the family got sick and they had all sell the land? That is some strange crazy coincidence that all 50 persons from the north got the lands, paid $2,400 to the government, then turn around within weeks, within months and then flipped that land to 3 Vega's. That's all I am saying. The papers we have here says Hilmar is a resident of #2 Liberty Avenue in Orange Walk Town. He got, I think it was 91.95 acres of land for a small sum. I think he paid $3,669 for this 91.95 acres of land. That's Block 4, parcel 1582. He got that on June 21, 2011. But 5 months later on November 23rd, 2011, he transferred the land to Marleni Roxxana Vega of #18 Clarke Street, in consideration of $23,000. Derrick Gillet, a justice of the peace, out of those 55 lands transfers, he signed 12 of them. It's a real operation."

"Now Mr. Alamilla's wife, Miss Alma Alamilla. She got a parcel 1582, its right next to her husband's. That piece is 54 acres. She no like land either, just like Hilmar. Like a hot potato, she doesn't want it. So they sold it. She sold it to the same person that Hilmar sold to: Marleni Roxxana Vega. Many cases like that."

"You have a family Sealy, they were so lucky, they got 8 parcels of land and they sold all. They don't like land either. How would you not like land? I don't understand it and how you always want to sell it as you get it to certain favored family. I believe they sold theirs to German Vega. Solomon Sealy sold his one to Marleni Roxxana Vega too and then there is Linda Sealy. These are all 25 acres plots. As they got it, they sold it. They don't like land. Linda Sealy sold hers to German Vega and Sons Import Ltd. Lilian Sealy got her 25 acres and she sold hers to German Vega and Sons Import Ltd. too. Lincoln Sealy got his one and he sold his 25 acres to German Vega and Sons Import Ltd. too. There are more Sealy's you know. Kenesha Ashanti Sealy, 25 acres, she sold hers to German Vega and Sons Import Ltd. German Vega and Sons Import Ltd. got 34 of those parcels out of 55. Some people have all the luck and the Vega's got so lucky, got so blessed. People love them more than they love themselves - 1600 acres of prime property. No bush, prime property. Then I have my people in Lake Independence who can't get their little 50x75 swamp."

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