The Prime Minister also discussed the situation with the enclosed property at Belizean Beach which we first reported on last week. As we showed you, Boots Martinez says he is only the contractor which his former sideman - is the owner. And it didn't take much to become the owner of those 2.5 acres of seafront property - since he bought it for only one thousand dollars months before the 2020 elections.
The deal smacks of croney-ism - and government has put a stop order on the work - and the PM says they are looking at taking back the property. Jules Vasquez says it might have all been avoided if Martinez had only allowed Gregory Thurton to swim at the beach:
Anthony Boots Martinez is now in the centre of a political storm and under intense scrutiny - with the Briceno Administration - according to reports - trying to figure out how they can take back this prized piece of land:
John Briceno, Prime Minister:
"It's unfortunate, for some time when we were in opposition we had been asking about this housing for the poor. And nobody could have answered, nobody could have told us what it is they are doing and even the then prime minister was kinda skeptical when he was asked about it and could not give a straight answer. So the outrage that it has caused with the Belizean people, especially in Belize City, especially the people on Southside that use that beach."
And that outrage started with this man, Gregory Thurton, who's been swimming there for decades. He had a confrontation with Martinez when he took his family to swim there over a month ago:
Gregory Thurton, Belizean Beach Regular:
"It hurts me so much, because I grew up there. That's where I teach all my grandkids to swim. That's the place where everybody learn to swim. And now I go there, we can't go there no more. I love the sea, I love the salt water, I really like it."
"Then suddenly I can't go no more. It hurts."
And that public sadness is music to the Briceno Administration's ear. They can deal a body blow to the UDP while also generating some public goodwill:
John Briceno, Prime Minister:
"I think it will be our responsibility to meet, is it Mr Pollard or is it Mr Martinez, whoever the owner is and ask them that I think it's in the interest of the public for them to bring it back and we can then declare it probably as a public park, pass it on to the City Council for them to manage to fix it so that our citizens in Belize City can enjoy."
Of course, that will be a legal fight - but with this stop order already in effect - the owner's plans are seriously hampered - and to think, this outcry and uproar could all have been avoided if Martinez had only let Mr Thurton and his family swim that day.
Tomorrow, we'll have more on the property adjoining this one - the one Boots Martinez acquired for his company, deceptively called Housing For the Poor.
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