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The National Anthem of Belize has rejoiced that ‘nature has blest thee with wealth untold, o’er mountains and valleys where prairies roll…’ Unfortunately, the National Anthem did not warn us that our own government would seek to deprive us of our wealth, and prevent us from going to Court to protect our rights.
Petroleum has been discovered in beautiful Belize. Petroleum is being exported to the USA from Belize. Eight hundred million dollars worth of petroleum has been exported from Belize since the oil company, BNE, discovered our oil. Other oil exploration companies have rushed to Belize and are carving up the country into areas in which they have been given licenses to explore for the black gold.
The Petroleum Law provides for oil companies to get permission to do testing or to explore on public lands from the government. To do the same on private lands they must negotiate and reach an agreement with the land owners. If the land owner is unreasonable and does not consent to the use of his land, the matter is referred to the Government and the Minister of Lands can resolve the matter. Of course, any way-out or unfair decision by the Minister can be taken to Court.
The Petroleum Law also provides for a royalty of five percent to be paid to the land owner on all petroleum discovered and extracted from his land. Because of the high price of oil - now US$140.00 per barrel plus - the royalty will have to be increased.
The Constitution of Belize guarantees every person that if the Government takes their land and any other property, they are ENTITLED to reasonable compensation within a reasonable time. The Constitution further guarantees and protects the right of every citizen and land owner that if the government interferes or takes away their land or their property, they CAN go to Court for justice.
It is shocking and it is shameful that the new UDP government has introduced an Amendment to our Constitution to take away the right to get compensation and to take away the right to seek justice in our Courts. Every citizen has a right to access to our Courts, except land owners whose lands have oil (if the UDP is to have their way). Who is the UDP government working for - the land-owners and citizens of Belize or the oil companies?
If there is a problem with the existing Petroleum Law, it should be amended and improved upon. The government should not change the Constitution to suit land-owners or the oil companies.
How can the UDP government get itself into a situation, only weeks after their election, that they are changing a major constitutional right to have access to the Courts? How? Especially the UDP which took so many matters to Court under the previous government. Why deny us, the Belizean citizenry, the same right.
On Monday, 30th June, the news was all over the country that Prime Minister Barrow spent all day in the Supreme Court. He sat in front of the Chief Justice while a case was in process. The case concerned his new referendum law, which takes away the right of Belizeans to have a referendum whenever a government interferes with the fundamental rights listed in the Constitution. What is so important about the new law that our Prime Minister is sitting in Court all day? Is his presence a not so subtle attempt to influence the outcome of the case?
We are very disappointed that the new UDP government has resorted to demagogy and distortions. The Government is telling Belizeans that we land owners are greedy and want the oil for ourselves. This is not true. We accept that the oil is for all Belizeans. We do not accept that the government can take our land and we have no rights to go to Court. It is a disturbing and frightening move by a new government to deny citizens and land owners a right of access to our courts.
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