On the small Belizean island of Caye Caulker, a growing community pushback over the stalled development of a long-planned local police station has ignited calls for a public vote to settle the fate of the project’s designated land. The Caye Caulker Village Council has launched a formal petition drive aimed at triggering a binding referendum on Parcel 815, the plot of land that was formally reserved years ago specifically for the construction of the new island police facility.
In a public announcement shared with all local residents, the village council has called on every registered voter who supports retaining the parcel for its original intended use to add their signature to the petition. Physical copies of the petition are available for signing at the council’s local office, and all participants are required to present their official Social Security card and voter identification to sign, or submit digital photos of both documents for those unable to sign in person. In a unifying call to action, the council framed the effort as a collective community mission, stating, “Let’s save the police station as a community.”
The current petition drive comes on the heels of two recent community gatherings centered on the dispute. First, a peaceful public demonstration held this past Monday drew dozens of residents, followed by a well-attended public town hall meeting on Wednesday, where attendees openly shared widespread frustration over years of unaddressed delays to the police station construction.
Local officials have now clarified the government’s position on the stalled project. Andre Perez, the Minister for Belize Rural South, confirmed that the Ministry of Home Affairs secured official legal title to Parcel 815 back in 2023, with funding for the acquisition provided by the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI). Perez emphasized that the parcel remains official communal government land, held by the government of Belize for the exclusive use of the national police department.
Even as he reaffirmed the government’s ownership, Perez acknowledged that construction on the project has been paused for an unanticipated reason: a third-party offer for the land was submitted while contractors were already mid-construction, prompting the work team to request a temporary halt to activities.
Perez also pushed back against community speculation about hidden negotiations, noting that government officials were never given the space to make a public announcement about the unsolicited offer before widespread community concern erupted into public protest. For local residents who have waited years for improved police presence on the island, the referendum drive represents their best chance to weigh in directly on a project that impacts public safety across Caye Caulker.