20,000 Land Distributed in 2023, 10,000 More Coming

Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Natural Resources, Cordel Hyde, was the second parliamentarian to contribute to the budget debate. Hyde, as all area representatives do during their budget presentation, first spoke on the works he accomplished in his Lake Independence constituency. He then proceeded to highlight accomplishments in his respective ministry. Minister Hyde noted that over the last year, twenty thousand first-time landowners received a plot of land. He then announced that another ten thousand parcels are being surveyed for distribution.

 

Cordel Hyde, Deputy Prime Minister

“At the ministry in just three years we have provided twenty thousand lots to Belizeans, to first time land owners, in just forty months, five  hundred lots a month and guess how much we will survey this year to issue, another ten thousand. So the flood, the deluge of house lots will not stop and this is the achievement that makes us most proud of the ministry. It transforms the beneficiary. It is not just about a lot to build a house. You can go to the bank and borrow money to start a business, send your children to school. If you have an emergency you can bank that lot. When you have land you will not be poor, there are billions on this planet who work and die not owning anything. Eight hundred million people are living on less than four dollar a day. Yet in this jewel twenty thousand Belizeans have become land owners. Last year the prime minister focused on this incredible transfer of wealth that this represents a transfer that will only continue and gather pace. If we assume that each lot is valued at twenty thousand dollars then essentially this government has transferred four hundred million dollars in wealth to people who had no wealth before.”