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The Government of Belize and the Indigenous Maya of Southern Belize are finally starting o see eye to eye on how to implement Maya Customary land tenure in Toledo.

You’ll remember that up until about 4 or 5 months ago, the Mayan claimants were complaining bitterly to the public and to the judges of the Caribbean Court of Justice that years after the 2015 consent order was finalized, the Government and its Maya Land Rights Commission have done very little to implement the judgement.

Well, the tone was very different today in a teleconference hearing with the CCJ, which is overseeing the process of making Maya land rights a real thing that is respected at the Lands Department. The Maya went to court today to tell the judges that finally, measurable progress has been made, since they last reported to the court.

Pablo Mis, the program coordinator for the Toledo Alcalde’s Association and the Maya Leaders Alliances told the press this morning about those positive developments:

Pablo Mis - Program Coordinator
"Perhaps today is the first time we've record some positive progress we made. 3 years after the decision we struggled to substantively move the process forward in terms of agreeing an actual road map. Fortunately in December of last year, we were able to agree on the steps that ought to be taken to fully implement the decision of the high court. So today we were able to report on how we have advanced on some components, some elements of that agreement. Primarily we have been able develop a mile and tenure policy; we have been able to properly consultant that on the ground, it is now before the government to consider that. That's going to be an important prerequisite; we sent out the roadmap, the implementation of the other elements that involves auto-delimitation, development of legislation and ultimately the goal is titling and protection of Maya people's property in law consistent with the constitution of Belize. We are currently working on drafting a methodology for doing the delimitation process. Clearly for us it's important that the communities drive that process but we also recognize the government has a role to play to verify the outcomes and the results of that delimitation process. So all of that is being included in the methodology that's being developed so far."

"Another key area we think we have been able to advance is the establishment of a dispute resolution mechanism. Professor Dina Shelton has been appointed by government and it has received the endorsement of the Maya people to lead that process. Essentially this is in respond to paragraph 4 of the consent order, cease and desist. As we know, we have complained time and time again against the issuing of concessions, renewing of licenses that continues but the Maya people can't keep coming to court, it's just not a practical process and perhaps it's best understood that this morning again, when the president of the CCJ explained that what we're trying to do here, is to correct a historical wrong. We can't continue to overburden the people in correcting a wrong that has been plaguing them for some time. So the idea with Ms. Shelton is that when there are incursions or violations, that petitions are lodged to her and as an independent body, she reviews those complaints and then makes recommendations. The idea it would erase the need to come to court every now and then and that the government would then be able to be guided and the Maya people would be guided by the recommendations brought forth by that authority."

The implementation process is still ongoing, and the parties will continue to make periodic reports to the CCJ.