St. George’s Caye to become the newest village in Belize
St George's Caye Belize - photo by Astrum Helicopters
Love FM | Yesterday, at the official opening of the September Celebration, it was declared that St. George’s Caye would become the newest village in the country. This past Tuesday Cabinet approved a request made by the St. George’s Caye Community Council for the official designation of St. George’s Caye to village status. Gabriel Martinez is the Minister of Rural Development.
Gabriel Martinez; Minister of Culture
“I would like to premise my remarks by first of all conveying my congratulations as Minister with responsibility for Rural Development to the members of the St. George’s Caye community on having garnered the consent of the Government of Belize to become the newest village among the 194 villages and communities in Belize. Needless to say this is a stealer accomplishment particularly for the members of this community who for many years have envisioned village status for this caye. I also must congratulate the members of the St. George’s Caye Community Council going as far back as 1998 under the chairmanship of Mr. Karl Menzies for seeing St. George’s Caye not only as a historical land mark in Belize, which it is and which we Belizeans are proud of, but as a place to be preserved and properly administered.”
The residents of St. George’s Caye, almost one hundred strong, will now have more control over the affairs of the caye as the community council will now be replaced with a village council.
Gabriel Martinez; Minister of Culture
“The council will be charged with the good governance of the village and as such will be responsible for developing and implementing a village development plan in consultation with residents. Other duties and responsibilities of the new council will include the administration of the financial affairs of the village with regards to the village funds, projects and plans; the care and maintenance of pubic property and assets of the council; the making of regulations and bylaws in the caye’s best interest including bylaws for the naming and numbering of houses, lots and streets; the regulation of the construction of buildings and structures and the environment and the sanitation of the village and the making of recommendations to the appropriate authority for the appointment of justices of the peace. The council will also be responsible for appointing a lots committee among the many other responsibilities conferred on village councils by the village councils act chapter 88 of the laws of Belize.”
St. George’s Caye will become a member of the National Association of Village Councils as soon as the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Attorney General’s Ministry draw up the necessary documents.
Gabriel Martinez; Minister of Culture
“This will include the procurement of the coordinates or the description of the boundaries of the Caye from the Ministry of Natural Resources; the preparation of the requisite statutory instrument by the Attorney General’s Ministry and the publication of the instrument on sighing by me as minister with responsibility for Rural Development in the Government Gazette. At that point ladies and gentlemen the champagne corks can be unleashed.”
It was not said when the process will be completed but according to Minister Martinez his ministry will act with haste to implement the processes leading to the final acclamation of the island as a village.
