Email

Print

Tonight, Jules Vasquez looks at allegations from both sides of what really is a most un-neighborly dispute between neighbors:

To understand our story, you have to understand the relationship of these three buildings. Father of the Mayor, Wally Nunez owns this one to the right - that's parcel 1214, and the two lots to the left, 1213 and 1212 are leased and owned by his neighbors, August Tabony and Brittney Odaniel.

That's the Sandbar hostel and an extension to it currently being constructed.

And then there's the pier, built in front of parcel 1213 - used by Odaniel for the guests of her Hostel.

These are the sources of the entire dispute between Mayor Nunez and his neighbor Odaniel.

She demolished an old building that used to be on parcel 1212 to put up this new iron framed one. But, the process of getting the permit for that is where she claims Mayor Nunez, her neighbor abused his office - by, she says, blocking the permit for the new construction.

In response, the mayor says "I don't issue any construction permits. That's granted through the building unit."

But Odaniel says she got a meeting with the Mayor in August to complain about the delay in issuing a construction permit.

In her lawsuit, she claims that Nunez, quote, "made clear that the Town Council's Building Unit would only grant a permit for the construction on parcel 1212 if (she moved the pier from Parcel 1213, which (Mayor Nunez) claimed hindered construction of his own pier on parcel 1214." Her suit claims that "he used his power to withhold official permits until she removed her pier for his personal benefit."

Still, she says she agreed to relocate the pier twenty-five feet to the south to make room for his pier- and with that she alleges "he agreed and promised to deliver the construction permit the following day."

But Nunez did not deliver that permit - and this is where things take a turn. Her suit claims "Then, on 12th August…(Mayor Nunez) sent word to the First Claimant that he required payment to him personally of thirty-six thousand eight hundred Belize Dollars before he would grant the construction permit." She says she paid him the money.

The mayor claims first that he took no money from Odaniel. He says that what he did deliver was this, a "no objection" letter which we note is allegedly backdated to June.

Nunez says that letter was for the Central Building Authority and that the council had an issue about Odaniel not leaving adequate space for parking. Odaniel claims that along with the letter, the Mayor gave them verbal approval to proceed with foundation works.

The Central Building Authority gave the go-ahead for the construction and brought in Cayo Steelworks to set up the mainframe of the new construction. But when they tried to bring in the crane to the island, town council employees refused it entry.

Five days later, their attorney Dean Barrow sent this letter threatening suit - and the crane was then allowed on the island.

Then - days later - came these two stop orders from the town council ordering them to cease construction and to dismantle any structure already built. Odaniel claims this is an an act of malice but the mayor shared this letter from the island building unit which cites specific violations of the plan approved by the Central Building Authority. There is an October 10th letter shared by the Mayor's attorney where Odaniel is accepting correction from the CBA and pledging to rectify irregularities.

But the town stop orders were not withdrawn until she paid the council $BZ900.00 - which she calls another act of blackmail. The Mayor's attorney notes that it was a legitimate payment made into the council's account.

And that brings us to the other point of dispute - that of the pier. Odaniel claims that weeks after she agreed to relocate her pier- but hadn't yet, employees from the San Pedro Town Council entered the property and began removing planks from the pier. She claims they had no order from the Ministry of Natural Resources' Pier Unit.

And even though she claims town council employees were doing the work, the mayor told us "the Ministry of Natural Resources sent a letter for the removal of the pier. That has nothing to do with me or the SPTC." End quote. And he showed us that letter, but its dated in September, weeks after town council workers were dismantling the pier.

In a statement posted today, Mayor Nunez says "I understand very well the distinction between personal matters, business ventures and the mandate of mayorship. This lawsuit seems to confuse the public about a dock situation between neighbors with claims that are not within my purview as mayor."

He concludes:
"we are a free country and all persons have a right to make allegations, no matter how outlandish." Only a court can now determine if indeed they are outlandish.

The San Pedro Town Council also chimed in with a statement of its own saying. "The San Pedro Building Unit and the Central Building Authority continue to liaise with the Principals of the Project to ensure adherence to the approved plans…" End quote.

We'll follow the case when it goes to court.