And while that community mourns, another was up in arms today, after
what they believed to be a breach in a stop order on a particularly
contentious building site.
It's the continuation of a story we brought you two weeks ago about a
proposed seafront gas station and the disapproval it garnered from
big-name PG residents like Activist Will Maheia and businessman
Alistair King.
And today when townspeople saw activity at the site they got angry,
believing that the property owner was acting against that
well-publicized stop order. Cherisse Halsall has the details of what happened next.
When it comes to the proposed gas station going up at PG's dollar coin
we've heard from Will Maheia, Alistair King, and even Mayor Ashton
McKenzie. But this morning when the property owner resumed work -
townspeople were in an Uproar that it was in defiance of a stop order:
PG Resident
"You guys are stopping us when we are from here. They aren't from here, and
we can't do anything brother. They bally da no frah yah but yet we who live
yah."
This man had placed his vehicle at the entrance of the property as part of
a blockade to stop construction workers from offloading construction
materials.
PG Resident
"These guys disrespect they are not building according to their plan they
got a stop order but apparently the China man in Belize is bigger than the
government of Belize."
PG Resident #2
"We don't want a gas station right on the beach because all kind of
pollute, it will pollute our waters and stuff like that and it's not a
welcome because it's a gas station you don't want welcome to a gas
station."
PG Resident #3
"They want to use King for an example, they want try say King has a gas
station. But hear what's going on if King's gas station is already a
problem then why would you put another one. So, what do we want, we're
building problems now instead of taking the time to deal with the problem
with King we'll put another one here and use king for an example okay
because King is there then we can do it too."
These people were less concerned with business and more concerned with the
loss of the beachfront that has been an integral part of community life
PG Resident
"This is the place this is the area where PG people swim, they can just
walk right out there they can just walk right out, only area, in the whole
town of PG which is known as PG by the sea."
This man tried to tell the cops that the order had in fact been issued:
PG Resident #4
"It's so unfortunate that something like this has to be happening here in
Punta Gorda and I want the world to know or I want people in Belize to know
that not everyone is as slow as they think but as long as a stop order has
been issued for any construction there should be no personnel, there should
be no personnel, no movement. If the order has been served then it is the
responsibility of the building unit of the Punta Gorda town council to pass
the order to the law enforcement who plays a role."
But the only role law enforcement played this morning was the removal of
the town people's blockade
A move that allowed construction workers to continue their work, moving
equipment onto the site.
And with the crowd still assembled, Mayor Ashton McKenzie drove by to the
sound of shouts and jeers from the assembled, but he didn't stop to look
into the commotion.
Still, it's an issue he'll have to confront with the townspeople feeling
that this property owner is acting above the law.
PG Resident #3
"If it was one of us as we put a cement block, they come try and move what
we're adding on to our house."
And by midday the crowd seemed to have reached an understanding with the
police but they maintained that their actions were not in the interest of
any big name but in that of the every man
PG Resident
"The Officer just assured me that the stop order will come into effect they
won't. They will not on load the stock so we need to maintain our social
distancing and stay right here."
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PG Resident #2
PG Resident #3
PG Resident #4
PG Resident