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Tropic Air land case settled out of court

The San Pedro-based airline Tropic Air and Construction Depot Limited, owned by Brett Feinstein of the Benny's Group of Companies, have been at odds over ownership of a piece of land on which Tropic Air is building a $6 million airplane maintenance complex near the municipal airstrip.

Construction had to be halted due to the controversy.

Construction Depot claims title for a portion of the land in question, superseding Tropic Air's lease.

The title was expected to be canceled by the Ministry of Natural Resources in acknowledgment of human error at the Lands Department, but both sides had taken their case to court.

Today we were told following a in-chambers meeting with Justice Michelle Arana that the two sides had agreed to the terms of a settlement of the case.

The terms of the settlement are confidential but attorney for Tropic Air, Senior Counsel Eamon Courtenay, explained to reporters that he believes both sides will be satisfied by its terms.

He was joined by Agnes Segura-Gillett while Leslie Mendez appeared on behalf of Construction Depot, sitting in for Godfrey Smith, and Acting Solicitor General Nigel Hawke appeared for the Government.

Patrick Jones

I will absolutely bet you that the citizens of Belize took it in the shorts with this settlement and the people that were originally part of the scheme get to keep their ill gotten gains. In fact I bet you some very influential people got a terrific deal on some prime land somewhere as part of this.

You should not be casting dispersions on people when you do not know the facts and be making bets you would lose.

Why should this be secret then? You shouldn't be casting dispersions on me either big boy.

I do believe the intended word was "aspersions", not "dispersions"

Sorry, I should posted 'sic' next to my reply.

It was a legitimate disagreement between two parties that was settled between them. To call it a "scheme" and make accusations when you do not know the facts is unfair. And, since it was between private parties, the details of the settlement need not be made public.

GOB is as likely to have screwed up as screwed us. I would not bet either way. If I thought there was another country which was safe, sane and clean, I would move, but since few places like that do exist with the attributes Belize offers which drew me here, I'll stay and do what I can each day. Scandinavia too cold; New Zealand too far away. But will take suggestions.

I do not profess to know all the details and therefore would not make accusation of wrong doing without having more facts. From what I do know, the disagreement was a partial result of an oversight in the Lands Department that involved the rights of the two private parties and I am not aware that it has any effect on any other than the two parties involved.
Skepticism of the GOB is understandable based on its history. But to accuse the two private parties of a "scheme" to gain something at the expense of the people of Belize in unfair.
Actions like that, other than on the internet, can get one in legal trouble or in need of medical treatment.