But while we were investigating that story - we also revisited a prime plot of land right next to that one which we have been reporting on since 2009. It stretched from the highway to the beachfront - and it has been in the name of a so-called NGO for at least 15 years. But, how credible is that NGO cover really? - when multiple real estate barons told us that they have been offered to purchase that land for many millions of dollars. Jules Vasquez asked Boots Martinez about that proposed offering as recently as February and here's what he said :...
February 14, 2025
Jules Vasquez
"You have more than when you were in government because a piece of land I once thought was housing for the poor is now real estate for the rich. You di sell a land up here by Coast Guard fi millions of dollars - sea front property."
Anthony Boots Martinez, Housing For the Poor
"Well listen to me sir - noh talk foolishness, go and do the research. If you go and do the research, then you will see."
"Noh fraid fi go da lands. You could do it this afternoon. Noh di sprew nothing ya."
We did do the research and what we saw is this - a sprawling piece of land - from the George Price highway to the sea - 13 acres on two parcels, 2384 and 2385. And indeed the title is in the name of Housing For the Poor. And while that is the name on the front, on the back - the signature is Anthony "Boots" Martinez.
With 417 feet feet of sea frontage that would be one of the richest NGO's in the country - though we have never been invited to an event or a handing over to the poor from this group.
But in fact it is not and has not been on the list of registered NGO's. So, we can end with that fiction.
But, one thing that is not fiction is that it's a prize piece of real test and this offering - lists it for 9 million dollars. We are told that was some years ago and the asking price is now 11 million dollars. That is a very tidy profit - when it was purchased in 2016 for a mere 25,428 dollars - that's back when Martinez was a minister.
We did question the ownership of this large piece of land as far back as 2009. Here was the promise:
April 24, 2009
Hon. Anthony Boots Martinez, Minister of Works
"This land belongs to the NGO group of fourteen years, Port Loyola Housing for the Poor, and what we do here is to culminate our work, here is our warehouse. It is a land for the economic purpose for the people of Port Loyola. Shortly we will be putting up a building to host the residents of Port Loyola in regards to computer training and sewing etc. So that is neither here nor there."
"The group is preparing to set up some houses, just like the Mennonites do, of which we will put up on some display and we will be selling houses too."
But, we never saw the sewing factory - nor did we ever see houses on display. In 2009 the then Prime Minister did sheepishly try to explain it:
April 24, 2009
Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"I think when he said that the group is a for profit organization, when we questioned him - our understanding was that the profits that the group makes are ploughed back into the community."
Was it ever ploughed back into the community? We did want to interview Martinez about it - but when we tried to do so at this adjoining property - where he's merely a contract - he declined.
Although he declined to speak about it last week - we will continue to try and speak to Martinez.
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