Yesterday we told you of a release coming out of the Ministry of Natural Resources, putting residents on alert regarding fraudulent transactions being carried out across the country. The notice from the ministry spoke of both locals and internationals using fake passports to take up the identity of land owners and then in turn selling land parcels to buyers then subsequently, providing them with forged land transfer certificates. It is an offence that was picked up, according to the release, by the new land management system which was designed with the objective of being able to verify the authenticity of applicants especially those who do not go in to apply in person or those using foreign passports. The release was issued yesterday, reading, in part, quote, “Consequently, and in direct response to the uncovering of these fraudulent land transactions, the Lands and Survey Department warns the general public to beware of internet websites that purports to sell land in Belize. Government is mindful that there are many legitimate real estate companies that sell land over the internet and as such we encourage buyers to execute the necessary due diligence during this process. The Lands and Survey Department recommends that the general public adhere to the following measures to ensure the legitimacy of land transactions and/or authenticity of land documents: (1) Validate the authenticity of a Land Title by making a check at the Land Registry (2) Purchase a certified copy of a register to confirm ownership of parcel (3) Request an abstract of land title from seller and cross reference it at the Land Registry. The release says that it seems that the con artists are targeting properties owned by absentee landowners who reside abroad. The ministry added that the laws of Belize are very clear on the perpetration of fraudulent land transactions, which are considered serious criminal offences for both the perpetrators and their accomplices. As such, the Ministry is working with the Police Department to conduct a thorough investigation to find and prosecute the perpetrators of these fraudulent land transactions… And that is only one way in which the Lands Department is enforcing the existing policies and laws that govern that area. On the heels of this release, came another – one that refers to squatters who set up their homes on private properties. It is well known that individuals, who construct or place their homes on a land that is not theirs and for which they have no authorization to do so, is acting illegally and therefore can be penalized. Being aware of this, however, does not deter persons to continue engaging in such activities and so, the Ministry of Natural Resources felt it necessary to remind residents of this. In their release sent out today, it read, “The Ministry of Natural Resources and Agriculture hereby reminds the general public that squatting on National Land or Private Land is illegal. Any person who is found in the unlawful occupation of National Land is guilty of an offense under the National Lands Act, Chapter 191 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2000-2003. While it is the responsibility of private land owners to remove trespassers from their land, the Ministry takes this opportunity to reiterate that, Under the Summary Jurisdiction (Offences) Act, Chapter 98 of the Laws of Belize, Revised Edition 2000, trespassing on private lands is illegal and subject to removal at the expense of trespassers.” Love News understands from sources that the written notice is coming as part of a process to put an end to the squatter’s situation around the country, particularly Belize City. Love News will keep following this story.
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