For years - as far back as 2006 - we have been following the saga of Dyon Zabaneh and his mother Primrose Gabourel and their property in the Buttonwood Bay Area of Belize City - a parcel that happened to be in the sea.
In 2019, the Department of the Environment blocked them from filling it - and dragged them to court on environmental charges. And as far back as 2007, the government had compulsorily acquired the parcel.
And now, a judgement delivered yesterday from the Court of Appeal says that the owner of the property, Primrose Gabourel is entitled to over a million dollars in full and fair compensation.
The judgement focussed on the vast disparity in valuations for the property at the lower court and ordered the government to appoint expert valuer to determine the fair market value of the parcel.
But, in the interim, they must immediately pay Primrose Gabourel one million and fifty thousand dollars in compensation, and three hundred thousand dollars for the landfill.
After the expert valuation is made, Government will likely have to pay additional sums in compensation. Notably, Gabourel's valuation puts the value of the property at over 8 million dollars; we'll see what the expert says. Government will also have to pay her legal costs.
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