When we spoke to Prime Minister Dean Barrow last week about his government’s first 100 days in office, he conceded that the situation at the Lands Department had created a great deal of frustration. That “situation” he referred to is a review process, an audit that the new Minister Gaspar Vega undertook when he assumed office. It was viewed as necessary after the days of furious plunder that preceded the election.

But the widely held view now is that due diligence seems like an excess of caution, and the slow going at the Lands Department has created, some say, an overall economic slowdown. And it has caught the attention of Cabinet which formed a Lands Subcommittee at its meeting last Tuesday to see how it can speed the review process along. Sounded to us like the Prime Minister wanted to look over the shoulder of his deputy – but today that deputy held a press conference to say that his ministry is moving forward on all fronts - but everywhere they turn they find skeletons of the past administration.

Hon. Gaspar Vega, Minister of Natural Resources & Environment
“It has taken more time than had been anticipated and I also want to take this opportunity to thank all those who were inconvenienced for their tolerance and their patience. And I want to tell you that I am aware and the entire Ministry is aware of what is going on in the public with their frustration. But unluckily, that is the price we have to pay if we want to clear up or amend errors that were committed prior to this new administration.”

And according to Vega and his Lands Commissioner Noreen Fairweather, those errors and irregularities were significant.

Hon. Gaspar Vega,
“We have put on hold transfer of land, of conveyances that are the subject of questionable grant and transfer of land from certificates that are under review. Some 70 surveyed plans had to be returned which were lodged and illegally authenticated in the months of January and February alone. There’s people that have titles and are not aware of it. These are the sort of things that we are encountering in the Ministry. I am serious, I wish the public could get a closer look at what we’re going through; people that are not aware that they own land. Just like the people that don’t know of titles in their names, there are people who have titles that were issued on other people’s titles and that takes time to clear up.”

Noreen Fairweather, Commissioner of Lands
“The audit is looking at a number of things, among them yes signatures. Unfortunately in the weeks leading up to general elections there unauthorized persons that had signed those documents. We believe it is the department’s responsibility to ensure that those documents are revisited and made right. Basically they are out there, they are void. Not only are persons holding documents that are not valid but there’s a responsibility to protect the commercial sector because they can produce those documents as collateral and in reality they are not even worth the paper they are written on.

A number of grants were issued which I don’t know what a good word would be – ridiculous purchase prices – people are paying $50 an acre for land in the cayes and that sort of thing.”

With six thousand files under review, a backlog of four thousand more, and another two thousand requiring further legal review, the bottleneck is enormous. But Vega says the Ministry has been working.

Hon. Gaspar Vega,
“In the Land Registry section using the newly established Landfolio system, the Land Registry has processed 1,671 transfers of land, valued at $108.6 million and 597 charges on parcels representing some $890 million dollars.”

And while Vega quoted many other figures proving that – despite the perception – his Ministry is working, he concedes that it’s the small largely symbolic things that may count more.

Hon. Gaspar Vega,
“And I am certain that the people will be happy to know that we got back some of the land that was illegally given to someone. If we can get one parcel of land out of four hundred and add acres of beach front or at an island that was given for less than $10,000, everybody would be happy knowing that at least we achieved something.”

Speaking about the Cabinet committee that the Prime Minister has appointed Vega says he is glad for the help. And while all senior staff and heads of department in the Ministry of Natural Resources attended today’s event, notably absent was CEO David Gibson.