Cordel Hyde Says Lands Department Reform Is a National Priority

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister responsible for Natural Resources, Cordel Hyde, is highlighting ongoing efforts to improve land distribution and efficiency within the Lands Department, as demand for land continues to grow across the country.  Speaking during a recent engagement, Hyde underscored the scale of the challenge, noting that the department receives a significant number of applications each year, placing pressure on the system to respond in a timely and fair manner.  He explained that while the allocation of land remains a core function of the ministry, the work also involves addressing longstanding issues affecting Belizean families who have been unable to access land due to financial constraints and other barriers.

Cordel Hyde, Lake Independence Area Representative: “Clearly, I can speak for us at the land’s department. We don’t get everything right at the land’s department. When you are dealing with tens of thousands of applications each year, last year alone, we had 31,563 applications. Of course, there are going to be mistakes. Some are avoidable, some not avoidable, some not so avoidable. But it’s what we do when we are confronted the problems that will make all the difference. Just last Monday, I met a lady and her daughter and grandson along with their pastor. They cried so much they made me cry. They had a land for over 10 years but never quite did anything to it. The lease approval had expired and they tried, but they just couldn’t get their account open. Sometime ago we at land gave someone else the lot. The new landowner didn’t keep the land long. He sold it. Now you’re a first-time landowner, we don’t give you the land to sell my brother. We give you the land so you can build something. So you an own something, so you can have something to pass on to your children and grand children. We didn’t give you land to sell. That family ripped my heart apart. We have to get them back a land and obviously we now have to find another lot for the person who bought the land. But we can right this wrong and restore the family to a land they believe they’re entitled to, a decent, humble family, by all means we have to, we must. That’s when I enjoy my job the most Madam Speaker. I don’t enjoy seeing people hurt but I enjoy being able to make people happy. Enjoy seeing the joy in people when you are able to life them up. That lady held me so tight that she cried and said “Please, please, help my family.” I’m happy to report that as I’m speaking the family is signing up to purchase their old lease land.”

Hyde emphasized that the government’s approach is not only about distributing land, but also about creating opportunities for Belizeans who may have previously been left behind.

Efforts are ongoing, he said, to streamline processes within the Lands Department, reduce backlogs, and ensure greater transparency and equity in how land is allocated.  The Deputy Prime Minister added that improving efficiency within the department is key to supporting national development, as access to land remains a critical factor in housing, agriculture, and economic advancement.