Occupation of land

So long as sufficient land is available, any person who wishes to occupy not more than twenty acres of land in the Ramonal-Zapote Reserve, for the purpose of growing annual crops, may do so and may build a house thereon, subject to the conditions specified in the Schedule hereto. land. __________ National Lands 37 SCHEDULE [regulation 3] Application to occupy land. 1. Every application to occupy land in the Reserve shall be made either to the Commissioner of Lands and Surveys, who may issue a written permit for each five acres or part thereof of the land applied for, on payment of an occupancy fee of five dollars for each permit for every year or part thereof of occupation, provided that any person desirous of occupying only a house plot, not exceeding one-quarter acre in extent, may be granted a written permit for the same on payment of a fee of two dollars for every year or part thereof of occupation, provided further that, if any person shall desire to occupy more than one house plot in the Reserve, he may, on showing good cause, be granted a written permit for each additional plot on payment of a fee of two dollars for every year or part thereof of occupation. 2. The Commissioner of Lands and Surveys shall give to each person occupying land in the Reserve a permit stating the name of the occupier and the extent of land in his possession. Such permit shall be produced by the occupier, on demand, for the inspection of any officer of the Lands and Surveys Department, the Forest Department, or of any police officer. Lease of sugarcane land. 3. Lands cultivated with sugar-cane at the date of the coming into operation of these Regulations may be leased at the rate of fifty cents per acre per annum on the basis of a five-year term with the option of renewal of the term on the termination of the lease depending on the standard of cultivation then possible. Sale of permanent crop land. 4. Lands cultivated with permanent crops other than sugar- cane at the coming into operation of these Regulations may be 38 National Lands purchased (not exceeding twenty acres) under the existing rules governing location ticket tenure. Lease of permanent crop land. 5. Land which is required for permanent crops may be leased, under the conditions herein stipulated, on the basis of a ten-year term at 4 yearly rental of fifty cents per acre subject to the option of renewal on the termination of the lease. 6. Existing pasture lands and lands required for the establishment of new pastures may be leased under the existing rules regarding pasturage, at the yearly rent of ten cents per acre. Pasture land. 7. Each year shall be deemed to end on the 31st December in each year. Payment of fees. 8. Occupancy fees shall be paid to the Commissioner of Lands and Surveys, on the 2nd January in each year, and shall be recoverable in accordance with the provisions of any law in force governing the collection of Crown rents. Any occupier who fails to pay his fee on or before the appointed day may be dealt with as stated in paragraph 14 of this Schedule. 9. The Commissioner of Lands and Surveys shall have power to refuse to permit any person to occupy land in the Reserve, and may, subject to the provisions of paragraph 14 of this Schedule, withdraw any permission which may be given. Any person who, after such refusal or withdrawal, persists in occupying the land, commits an offence and may be prosecuted in accordance with section 31 of the National Lands Act, Power to refuse or withdraw permit. CAP. 191. provided that any person who may have erected any house, building, or fixture in any part of the Reserve shall upon revocation of his licence be allowed a period of thirty days for removal of the same. Settlement of disputes. 10. Any dispute arising between occupiers as to the boundaries of their holdings shall be decided by the Commissioner of Lands and Surveys or any person authorised National Lands 39 by him in writing. The decision shall he final and binding on the disputants. Demarcation of land. 11.-(1) Every person having a permit to occupy land in the Reserve shall, within fourteen days of his occupation, clearly demarcate the boundaries of his portion of land by running a line around same and marking it at convenient spots with stakes. Failure to do this will render the permit liable to cancellation. (2) Failure to enter into possession of the land within three months of the issue of a permit or to clear and cultivate a reasonable area of the land will render the permit liable to cancellation. Uncleared strip. 12. When clearing land which is adjacent to a boundary line, occupiers shall leave uncleared a strip of land approximately six feet in width between the clearing and the boundary line. 13. The Government reserves the right to sell, lease, grant licences over, or in any other way deal with any national land within the Reserve which is not occupied at the time when such right is exercised. No compensation shall be payable to any person in respect of the exercise of this right. Reserved powers. 14. The Commissioner of Lands and Surveys may without being liable for any compensation whatsoever withdraw any permission that may have been granted to any person to occupy land within the Reserve if such person does any of the following thingsWithdrawal of permit. (a) fails to pay the prescribed occupancy fee on or before the 2nd January in each year; (b) cultivates or interferes in any manner with any land within the Reserve other than the land allotted to him, or refuses to accept any decision made in accordance with paragraph 10 of this Schedule; Schedule. 40 National Lands (c) fails or neglects when required so to do, to comply with any law for the control of insect pests or plant disease; (d) is convicted in a court of law of any offence involving fraud or dishonesty, or whose conduct is, in the opinion of the Commissioner of Lands and Surveys, detrimental to the peace, good order or welfare of the Reserve; (e) fails to comply with such instructions or rules as may be issued from time to time for the good management of the Reserve; (f) fails, on demand, to produce his written permit; or (g) without the written permission of the Commissioner of Lands and Surveys, assigns, transfers or otherwise deals with any right or interest under his permit. Existing rights. 15. Any grantee, lessee or licensee of the Government of Belize who may be entitled to occupy any national land in the Reserve at the date when these Regulations shall come into force shall subject to the observance of the conditions herein stipulated be permitted to continue in occupation of such land. Completion and renewal of agreements. 16. The Government reserves the right to complete, by the issue of a fiat or otherwise, any purchase, lease or licence made or agreed to be made before the coming into force of these Regulations in respect of any national land comprised in the Reserve, and may at any time thereafter renew or extend the period of any such lease or licence on the same terms as the old lease or licence, or on new terms. No compensation shall be payable to any person in respect of the exercise of this right. National Lands 41 17. The boundaries of the Reserve shall be marked on the ground by the Lands and Surveys Department and shall be kept open at all times by the occupiers of the Reserve as a whole. Boundaries of Reserve. __________