Photo: Outgoing Mayor of Belmopan, Sharon Palacio, with land title recipients

by Kristen Ku

BELIZE CITY, Fri. Mar. 1, 2024

Today, the Belmopan City Council marked a new chapter for residents, as it distributed land titles in the newly named Innovabel Development, previously known as South East Estate, an area in Belmopan that spans over 100 acres.

“Today we are celebrating a milestone. It is something that I really wanted to see happen,” outgoing Mayor of Belmopan, Sharon Palacio remarked.

With hundreds of applications flooding in for parcels that fall under their subdivision project, the process was faced with challenges, including clarifying the location of the lands and addressing the residents’ concerns.

“It was quite a journey to be where we’re at today,” Palacio said, acknowledging the efforts of her council and the competence of her team in overcoming these hurdles.

The process of allocating these lands was not without its delays. Finalizing the acquisition involved intricate procedures, including land surveys and other essential steps, which contributed to the three-year timeline from the groundbreaking ceremony to the title distribution.

In total, the development boasts 481 parcels and includes six parks, enriching the community not just with residential spaces but with recreational areas as well.

Three former Queens of the Bay were among the recipients, receiving their land parcels as part of their crowns’ prizes, though delayed.

Among the former queens was Kia Pastor, a 25-year-old new landowner, who shared her joy at the realization of her dream.

“I’m honestly extremely overjoyed. I never thought this day would actually happen. I practically lost hope a long time ago, but to be, like, officially be a landowner at 25 years old, I mean I would have never dreamt of it. I’m just grateful to God, thankful to the mayor for making this happen,” she said.