28/05/2025
Cattle Landing Village Council
To: The People of Cattle Landing and the Wider Toledo District
From: Cattle Landing Village Council
Subject: Public Concerns Regarding Land Distribution and Transparency
Date: May 28, 2025
Dear Residents of Cattle Landing and Beyond,
The Cattle Landing Village Council wishes to address recent posts made on the official page of Hon. Dr. Osmond Martinez , Area Representative for Toledo East, which have raised concerns among our villagers and other residents of the Toledo District.
These posts pertain to the distribution of land titles to residents, including lots located in Cattle Landing Village, as part of what is being described as a collaboration with the Village Council and the Ministry of Natural Resources.
Clarification on the Minister’s Public Posts
On Monday, May 26, 2025, the Minister posted the following:
“As we continue to give first-time landowners a piece of this Jewel, I would like to kindly invite the persons below to join us at the Cattle Landing Community Center on Friday, May 30th at 3:00 P.M.”
He further stated:
“This initiative is a collaborative effort with the Cattle Landing Village Council and the Ministry of Natural Resources. Together we will ensure every young person gets an opportunity to own a piece of this Jewel we call Belize. NOTE: This list was sent by the Cattle Landing Village Council.”
The Council would like to make it absolutely clear that we have not entered into any written agreement with the Area Representative regarding this distribution. Furthermore, the list of names provided by the Village Council was not respected by the minister and some had to have been removed under his recommendation, contrary to what has been publicly stated.
Legal Framework and Village Council Responsibilities
We refer to Section 2 of the Village Councils Act, Chapter 88 (Revised Edition 2020), which defines the role and existence of a Village Council as:
“... a village council established and constituted under the Village Councils Act or any regulations made thereunder.”
Section 47(1)(a) and (c) of the Act outlines the responsibilities of the Ministry of Natural Resources in relation to village lands:
(a) The Ministry must provide the Council with maps of village lands and notify the Council of any changes in a timely manner.
(c) Before dealing with any land in a village, the Ministry must consult with the Council and consider its views. If the Ministry decides not to follow the Council's advice, it must provide a written explanation and allow further input.
To date, these requirements have not been met. Our previous verbal agreements, based on mutual respect, consultation, and cooperation, have been disregarded.
Concerns Over Public Disclosure of Personal Information
The Minister’s public posts, which include names of land recipients, raise serious concerns regarding privacy and data protection. This action may potentially breach:
- Section 14 of the Constitution of Belize, which upholds an individual’s right to privacy.
- Section 21 of the Freedom of Information Act, which prohibits the unreasonable disclosure of personal information.
- Common law principles related to confidentiality and responsible handling of personal data.
The Council respectfully requests that:
- The published names be immediately removed from public platforms.
- A public apology be issued to the residents of Cattle Landing Village.
- All future communication regarding land distribution be done in a manner that is transparent, respectful, and in good faith.
On the Role of the Lots Committee
We also refer to Sections 47(1)(b), 49(1), and 49(4) of the Village Councils Act, which mandate that:
- The Council may establish a Lots Committee to make recommendations to the Ministry.
- Ministries must consult the Council before making any policy or taking actions affecting the village.
- In cases of conflict, the powers of the Council’s Lots Committee shall supersede any other external land committee regarding village lands.
Our recommendations have previously been dismissed without due consideration. We were promised two phases of lot distributions:
- Phase 1: 100 lots – of which we have only seen 74 delivered.
- Phase 2: 150 lots – for which we have received no update or confirmation.
No written agreement exists, and communication from the Ministry has been inconsistent and unilateral.
Our Appeal
The planned distribution on Friday, May 30, 2025, has been declared “non-negotiable” by the Minister. We urge you, Hon. Dr. Martinez, to pause this process and allow it to be done the right way, in line with:
- Legal obligations under the Village Councils Act,
- Respect for the authority of the Cattle Landing Village Council, and
- The expectations of transparency and fairness from the residents you serve.
We remain committed to working together in the spirit of cooperation. However, we must emphasize the importance of consultation, transparency, and accountability.
Let us not allow political expediency to undermine community trust and lawful governance.
Respectfully,
Cattle Landing Village Council
