AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums The Cayes Caye Caulker Football field

Anyone wonder what happened to the football field? Dane and friends got together $200,000 in land and $100,000 in cash to give to the village years ago.The last of the money is going to be returned soon to the contributors. The problem is that the land is located in the South of the airstip a few hundred feet west of the terminal bldg. Tony Vega Jr. blocks that area of the Caye so the children who live there have grown up walking to school down the airstrip dodging airplanes and will never have power or lights. Fermin arrranged a right of way as the law requires but Mr. Vega wiped that out. The folks who contributed are amazed that one person could block half of the community off without the government doing anything. Sad end to a glorious idea that would have cost the village nothing. These people have said they will no longer give money to Caye Caulker because it is a waste of time.

What will it take to get this stubborn person to give in? Cannot a larger number of people win over the right to pass? What happened to democracy?

It is actually writtren law that all roads must join when you divide the property as Vega has done. This is not a fault of democracy-it is simply a crime that no one will address so the people lose to political influence again.

How does this all relate to the properties on the South of the Airstrip? It is my understanding that a land developer originally owned all this land on the South of the airstrip except for the portion belonging to Tony Vega Jr.

Why didn't the developer plan that all his roads meet on his very large plots of land before he subdivided? Instead of now trying to go through someone elses property? Something is wrong with this picture. Looks like greed to me.

Looking at it all from the outside, I see the following:

1. The football field is not a Gift to the people of Caye Caulker. If it were a gift, there would not be any threaths of it being taken back because the VC or GOB has failed to put in a road that will facilitate access and increase the value of the properties belonging to the Grantor of the football field.

Personally, I see this 'deed of gift' more as a bribe. If it were genuinely a gift for the people, what would it matter when it got developed. Even if it were for the next generation.

In the meantime the island folks already have a developed football field. Imagine how much it would COST to build a road to this 'gift of a football field' on the South Point and further still develope it in an area where there is no infrastructure whatsoever. You can develope the existing Football field with much less need of wealth.

2. While it is in my personal interest to have the South Point developed, I don't believe that plunging through someone else's private property is the answer. Almost the entire Sount Point belonged to 'Developers'. The East side was subdivided and sold. The West side is currently being sold. If the developers originally owned most of that area, except for the part belonging to Tony Vega Jr., why didn't they themselves PLAN AHEAD for a road to join all sites. Tony Vega Jr. is already strategically located next to the road, it is not in his personal interest to accommodate the neighbourhood. And why should he? This to me, is the responsibility of the developers of the Sount End, who have everything to gain from it, not anyone elses.

ME:-)

We practise football on a helicopter landing field loaned to us by the Queen.It is half the size of a football field but we do have two ragged goals and now lights. You can't stand on either side of it because the playing area must go from fence to fence to even pretend it is a proper game. In spite of this we have a champion team this year. They have to pay to travel to every game because other teams won't play here unless we have a real field. Few fans come along to support them because of the cost of bringing your family to the main for the night.
To make this field happen we have to pay for it all privately, road and all.
At time Tony, who is a developer, subdivided his property there were fourteen large property owners at the south. None are professsional developers except Tony. All but one of them of them finally divided their properties for various reasons.(and thus became "developers" though amateur, on that day.)Mostly they never met each other but all of their roads are connected together because the law requires this. Look at the place you live and note that all the roads are connected together. Most people take this for granted but really it was keeping to the law that caused this to happen among strangers across the centuries.
Tony was able to get his subdivision permit without meeting the various requirements written in law. His property blocks the only road from north to south and flaunts the law of connecting roads.There is no other way to solve this because of his location.
If they set the world right then the owners of land in the affected area should see a value rise. There are over a hundred property owners in the south now. Tony is the largest one.Some want to help kids.Some love football. Some love the value rise. All of them have proven to be a valuable resource for the budget to build the field.
The hundred property owners at the South Point are trying to solve this themselves. The only possible way to do that is to bring Tony back in line with the law.
Each of the people who supports this has some self interest in mind. The players want to play at home. The fans want to sit in the stands and watch our guys win in real games. Local gov't whole mandate is to make things happen for the people here. South Point owners want their land to rise.
People are trying to make this field happen down through the generations. In our generation it is us.

Keycocker,

When you get tired of hitting your head against a wall, perhaps you will find time to recognize that there is never only ONE WAY of doing things.

Find another way.

Regarding Tony being the 'largest land owner' in the South Point area:

He may very well be the 'last standing' of the 'big' land owners in the South Point area.....Mostly because he is Local and did not decide to Sub-divide and SELL OUT the land like the rest of you.

You and I know this isn't about a Football Field.

This is about a Road that will automatically bring infrastructure and VALUE to the 'amateur' (non-local) land developers who will make even more Profit from selling out Caye Caulker to foreigners.

Still, my honest-to-goodness answer remains thus:

"Find another way" to bring infrastructure to the 'hundreds' of new land owners who have brought property from you....and to the Scores who have yet to buy the remaining Lots up for sale. It is YOUR responsibility, not Tony's.

PEACE

Selfish people never have good karma. Mr. Tony Vega will most likely find that out.

Gee, I spent quite a bit of time a couple months ago designing the new Sports Complex site, and I have not heard that it has been entirely written off, but then I live in a warp sometimes. The sports complex as I saw it would have a football Field, basketball court, volleyball court and ball field all built to standardfs acceptable, In the center of all this sits the actuall Complex, which serves as a broadcast booth and a grand stand and underneath the conscession, and changerooms, office space and storage.

Anyways, if all of it has been filed G for garbage then oh well... you know what they say...
Oh Well!
Allie Ifield

The land Vega has is subdivided and is currently for sale.