The Caribbean Court of Justice has set April 30, 2016 as the date for Government and the Maya leaders to return before the Court and report on the implementation of a land tenure system that features customary rights in Maya Villages. This was after Government reached a settlement with the Mayas conceding their right to customary land.
Prime Minister Barrow says Government will set up a commission to hold consultations in the Toledo District to determine what system is desired by each village. He wishes to emphasize that “Government has not conceded sovereignty and will never concede sovereignty.” He adds, “The Government and people of Belize are sovereign over the entirety of the territory of this country. No Maya or nobody else can have sovereignty.” Prime Minister Barrow says, “We have accepted that there are certain rights that the plaintiffs have but the nature of those rights are still to be decided.”
The commission appointed by Government will be responsible for the demarcation of villages and to get a mandate from each village on the type of land tenure system decided. One of the first things to be clarified is what determines a village as a Maya village. Residents of villages determined to be Maya villages will vote on whether they wish to obtain land on a communal basis in their village or as individual land owners. The question must then be answered of what rights will people in Maya villages have who either are not Maya or do not wish to live on “communal property”.
After the commission presents its report to Government, it will be taken to the National Assembly for debate.
