As Amandala had reported in the article, Northern Lagoon portion of Isaiah Morter?s estate surfaces in Belize Gazette, dated Thursday, April 20, 2006, the parcels in question are: No. 34 – 448.5 acres comprised of 151 acres known as New Winsor and 297.5 acres, gotten via Government Fiat 5 of 1912; No. 29 – 5 acres; No. 25 – 25 acres gotten from Emily Margaret Hulse via conveyance on March 20, 1911; and No. 30 – 20 acres. They total 498.5 acres. The Government notice regarding the properties was dated April 5th.
In addition to the UNIA letter to Minister Brice?o regarding its intent to claim the estate, Belizean attorney, Emil Arguelles, on their behalf, has also written to both the Minister Brice?o and Lands Commissioner, Armin Cansino, indicating the same. His letter was dated Thursday, May 4.
Another Belizean attorney, Michael Peyrefitte, has also served notice to Commissioner Cansino that the UNIA intends to pursue claim, but acting on behalf of a different arm of UNIA.
Today, Amandala received a call from a man who identified himself as Mwariama Kamau. The man, whose birth name is Carroll Jerome Hawkins, Jr., visited our press this evening and offered us an interview. According to Hawkins, he is the president of the Washington division of UNIA, and the secretary of a charitable trust which he claims is an incorporated entity formed in Washington, D.C., in 2004, to take possession of properties, historic documents, etc. of the UNIA.
However, Faruq Muhammad told us via phone this evening that Kamau (Hawkins) is perpetrating a fraud and has no authority to pursue UNIA properties. He said that they would be pursing legal action against him when he returns to the U.S.
He connected us to a man who identified himself as Redman Battle, President General of the UNIA, and said that Kamau is not a member of the UNIA and was expelled about a year ago.
He told us that he denounced Kamua?s activities in Belize.
For his part, (Kamua) Hawkins maintains that despite some personal differences between him and Muhammad, he does have the authority to pursue the Morter estate, though he claims this would be the first acquisition outside Belize since the trust was formed.
He identifies the president of the UNIA trust as Ahmed Assalaam and vice president as Kingsley Bryan.
According to Peyrefitte, Brother William Day (Ahmed Assalaam), president of the UNIA trust in Washington, D.C., called him in Belize yesterday and told him that he wanted him to represent them in discussions with GOB over the parcels of Morter land in question.
Peyrefitte said that it is improbable that Hawkins is perpetrating a fraud, but if that were to be the case, it would become obvious at some point. That is because, according to Peyrefitte, before the Morter property is turned over to any entity, they would have produced their credentials.
Peyrefitte said that it was a friend of his in Florida, Jason Guild, a Belizean, who referred him to the UNIA. He said that Guild called him on Tuesday.
Hawkins told us a similar story, informing us that on Tuesday, May 2, Guild had contacted the UNIA, informing them of the Amandala article regarding the Morter estate.
Hawkins paid for legal services with a UNIA cheque, said Peyrefitte, who met with him on his arrival today.
A number of Belizean black activists have been encouraged by the resurgence of the Morter estate issue, because it has, in turn, resurrected interest in the UNIA and Morter?s legacy in Belize.
When he spoke with us today, Hawkins did express interest in the Liberty Hall, the former meeting hall of the UNIA in Belize, which is now outside of the association?s hands, along with other Morter legacies such as Caye Chapel.
Hawkins appeared interested in the Liberty Hall, and told us that his interest is to protect the estate of Isaiah Morter and fulfill Morter?s dying wish of establishing a strong Garvey movement here.
He said that the reason why the Morter estate has been left unclaimed by the UNIA is because of the disconnect between the Belize arm and the parent body?a disconnect that he said has been suffered by many UNIA divisions due to what he described as ?lack of communication.?
The question of reestablishing a Belize division, said Hawkins, would be put to the general UNIA membership in August.
He told us that he does plan on speaking with Counsel General Muhammad when he gets back to Washington, where both of them are based.
Hawkins leaves Belize on Friday, May 5. He said that he would return to provide any qualifying documentation needed to secure the estate that Morter willed to the UNIA.
On the other hand, Muhammad told us that they would be sending an official delegation to Belize ?very soon.? UNIA-ACL officers have informed other contacts in Belize that they would be sending a delegation to Belize in just over a week.
On another note, Morter?s relatives, particularly descendants of Emma Arthurs, to whom Morter willed his estate before the UNIA, had also been investigating to see whether they could, legally, make a claim to the estate in question. Relatives tell us that Emma Arthurs was one of Isaiah Morter?s siblings.