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Angry residents of the Indian Creek Village of Toledo accuse the Mayan Leaders Alliance and the Toledo Mayors Association of misrepresenting the interests of the community. This morning, dozens of villagers from southern communities traveled for hours to the steps of the National Congress building in Belmopan to voice their concerns. They held placards and signs expressing their dissatisfaction with the recent lawsuit filed by the two entities against the government. Journalist Vejea Alvarez tells us more.
Vejea Alvarez, Love News: Residents of Indian Creek Village took to the front of the Belmopan National Congress today to voice their opposition to the Mayan Leaders Alliance and the Toledo Mayors Association. Dozens of villagers who came from southern communities held placards expressing their dissatisfaction with the Mayan Leaders Alliance and the Toledo Mayors Association, which they believe have distorted their interests.
Ernesto Choc, Chairman of Indian Creek: “As residents of Indian Creek, we have the right to elect those who can better manage our community. Right now, this issue of the mayor going back and forth has caused great chaos and caused great problems for the Indian Creek community. It has not brought peace, it has not brought unity to the community, but what they are doing is dividing and polarizing our community. It’s not just one or two people, the majority of the villagers elected the village council, they elected a mayor who they believe can serve the community.”
Vejea Alvarez, Love News: The controversy stems from a recent lawsuit filed by the MLA and TAA against the government over the removal of the former mayor and vice mayor of the community by the Attorney General in January. The groups claimed that the removal was carried out solely on the recommendation of the village council. However, Ernesto Chuc, the chairman of the community, said today’s rally seeks to portray a stark difference.
Ernesto Choc, Chairman of Indian Creek: “I heard the MLA and TAA say that the village council is elected by the village headman himself, but it is not true. So this is the message I really want to convey to Miss Christina and Mr. Pablo Mis, TAA do not interfere in Indian Creek. So we have to do whatever we want in the village, we don’t want people to come out from other villages. So they have nothing to say in our village.”
Vejea Alvarez, Love News: About 90 percent of villagers agreed that only a minority of them supported the previous mayor. Anselma Cholom, an outspoken villager, said their main grievances centered on the previous leader’s obstruction of community development.
Anselma Choc, Indian Creek resident: “These are the same people who didn’t want the prince. These are the same people who told the government that you have to consult with us before you build any road, you have to consult with us before you bring anything into our village, and then we have electricity, we just switched it on in October, but they are trying to stop it.”
Vejea Alvarez, Love News: Last week, the MLA and TAA applied to the High Court for permission to initiate judicial review proceedings because, according to MLA spokesperson Christina Coc, this was the wish of the villagers. But the villagers today denied being consulted.
resident: “If they claim so, let TAA gather all the facts and then appear in court on our behalf. But we have not agreed to appear in court.”
resident: “We as a village are determined to elect the village leader we want, she cannot feed us things we don’t want, she won’t give us things we don’t want as a community and as a village.”
Vejea Alvarez, Love News: The villagers are asking the Legislative Council and TAA to stop filing the lawsuit. They hope today’s demonstration will send a loud enough signal, but if the call falls on deaf ears, the chairman said the villagers will not give up.
Donicio Sam, Indian Creek resident: “We have to make our demands to the government again and if the government doesn’t listen to us, we are not going to stop. But that’s why we were in front of the Congress for about two hours, we just wanted to send this message to the people of Belize and the government, they have to look into this. We need help from the government. We are tired of the problems.”
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