San Jose Palmar Residents Still Fighting to Save National Park

It’s been three months since the former village council and lands committee in San Jose Nuevo Palmar raised the alarm over plans to subdivide a beloved nature park and now, they’re back in the spotlight with a firm message: they’re not giving up. On Sunday, residents took to the Siibal Yuum National Park in Orange Walk for a peaceful protest, standing their ground to protect what they say is a vital part of their community. News Five’s Britney Gordon has a full story.

 

Britney Gordon, Reporting

The fight to save Siibal Yuum Nature Park in San Jose Palmar is far from over, but progress has been slow. It’s been months since former village councilor Orlando Ayuso first sounded the alarm about plans to carve up the park into house lots. Since then, residents, council members, and former land committee reps have been trying to sit down with Area Representative Kevin Bernard, but those meetings just haven’t materialized. Now, frustration is growing. Former Lands Committee member Sonia Tun shares more on the ongoing struggle.

 

Sonia Tun, Former Land Committee Member

“ We haven’t been able to talk with him so that he could mediate with the new Lands Committee. But the reason for the peaceful protest was to make people aware and even the Prime Minister or even our minister here, to see if they can help us assist the people, the villagers. At the end of the day, it’s still it doesn’t matter if it’s red, blue, if we are black or white. The reason for having a park is to help people with their lives, to have better quality life for children.”

 

The Siibal Yuum Nature Park was officially opened back in October 2024, with the former Village Council chairman and Lands Committee chairwoman proudly in attendance. According to Sonia Tun, the park was always intended to be a protected nature reserve. But now, the current Lands Committee is saying the proposed subdivision is simply a continuation of what the previous committee started, a claim that’s stirring up even more controversy in the community.

 

Sonia Tun

“I explained to the people that when we were in the past Lands Committee yes, there was a sketch. And then when we saw that they were, the surveyor was trying to measure. I personally went and told him, this area will not be surveyed because our elders left it as a reserve area, which will be used as a park in the future.”

 

There is a unique land distribution system in place in San Jose Palmar Village. Descendants of the village can use the land freely, with the government acting as a trustee and the Lands Advisory Committee deciding on the distribution. However, according to Tun, the size of the park does not make its subdivision beneficial to the wider community.

 

Sonia Tun

“But our intention was not for it to be given as house lots. It was to be a park. And that’s the reason why it was in a inaugurated and if we would have given it as house lots. It’s only like twelve small house lots coming out there. And who would benefit from it?”

 

On Sunday afternoon, about forty residents of San Jose Palmar gathered for a peaceful protest at Siibal Yuum Nature Park. They were there to remind decision-makers how much the park means to their community, from recreation to relaxation. According to former Lands Committee member Sonia Tun, the current committee claims they held a community meeting before deciding to move forward with the subdivision. But Tun isn’t convinced that the wider community was truly heard.

 

Sonia Tun

“According to them, that is the majority, but it, that is not the majority. A lot of people don’t come out because of the same reason, the same loud, noisy people are the ones who go out there. And those are the ones that make the most noise and the ones that help the least. And at the end of the day, people stay quiet. Our Iand people are very quiet people and especially in areas like my village. They prefer not to do anything and say anything. Just leave it in God’s hands and that’s it.”

 

The group now awaits a response from the government on the matter. Although they are ready and willing to keep fighting, they claim that time is limited, and very soon, it will be too late to change what has already begun.

Britney Gordon for News Five.