by: Wellington C. Ramos, NYS licensed real estate agent

Thursday, February 27, 2025

I have been a licensed New York State real estate agent for many years. I can confirm that earlier in New York and many other states in America, they were experiencing the same issues that Belize is experiencing now.

New York State and most states in the United States had to legislate and include the following requirements for all persons conducting real estate transactions in their states: a Code of Ethics, Conflict of Interest laws, background checks, mandatory requirements for the licensing of real estate brokers, agents and mortgage brokers.

In addition, criminal laws and penalties were passed to punish any of these individuals for committing any real estate law violation. This included suspension and revocation of their license to practice real estate in their respective states. A Department of Real Estate was established to receive and investigate complaints, and to bring charges against any individual who committed corrupt real estate practices, fraud and crimes.

Problems with the current Belize land system

In Belize under the Lands Ordinance, the Minister of Lands, other Ministers of the Government and elected representatives of the government in power, have too much involvement and power with land issues, and that needs to end for there to be improvements. The Commissioner of Lands must be left to do his or her job in the best interest of the Belizean citizens.

Under the current Land Ordinance, corruption will never end, unless we reform the system in the way that lots and lands are acquired by our citizens through leases and titles. In most cases, a citizen must obtain the signature of his/her area representative. Some citizens are afraid to go to the area representative because they do not support his or her party.

This can be described as constructive denial of the citizen’s right to a lot or land. I am in full support of a Bill, that when a Belizean citizen becomes 18 years of age, he/she will be entitled to apply for a lot or a parcel of land to do farming, so that he/she can build a home and to do farming to feed his/her family. This I know most Belizeans will be in favor of. This should be a first and one-time opportunity for all Belizean citizens, regardless of their political affiliation.

Problems with leases and titles

Many citizens that I know have had their leases cancelled without receiving a warning from the Lands Department. When they do find out, the lot and land they leased was issued to another person by the area representative, a minister or somebody working in the Lands Department. There are a few cases where the lots and lands had title owners, and somebody from the Lands Department still went ahead and issued another title to someone else. Two different persons cannot hold a title to the same parcel of lot or land.

In addition to all these problems that our Belizean citizens have to go through when they have leases or titles to their lots and lands, it can get worse after they acquire them. Some of the problems are: obtaining a Certificate of Title if you had a Minister’s Fiat, obtaining a Certificate of Title, amending titles, renewing leases, land registration, unlocking an account, transfer of ownership and other lot and land transactions.

It can take years before these problems are resolved and approval is granted by the Lands Department. At this rate many Belizeans have and will die before their transactions get approved. Our citizens have been electing both PUP and UDP governments for decades now, and nothing has changed. In fact, most Belizeans will tell you that the Lands Department is a place to avoid if you do not have to go there. A comprehensive land reform program is desperately needed in Belize.  This is not the way to treat the citizens of your country if you love them.