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Burrell Boom Investment Dispute Escalates News Five has been closely following an investment controversy in Burrell Boom Village involving two Belizeans and three American Investors. The investors allege that they have been overcharged for everything, from the cost to construct three luxurious wooden structures, to the construction of a wooden deck pool, management cost, road and electricity upgrades, the full works. The investors say that what was to cost them just under a quarter a million U.S. dollars collectively ballooned to half a million U.S. dollars. But Shanna and Kenny Williams outrightly refute those claims, arguing that what the American investors received is beyond what they paid for. So, here is the thing, the investors want out. They want to relocate their three buildings to Georgetown in southern Belize. The Williamses say they have guests on the property at this time and the construction noise would lead to losses. And at the center of the controversy is consultant Jazmynn Tillett. Landowner, Dr. Erika Paterson, is backing Shanna and Kenny Williams. The Williamses have an agreement with Paterson to sell the property. And she contends that neither Tillett, Thompson nor any of the other investors have provided proof to substantiate their claims. Paterson says the investors have confronted her and she wants to make it clear that she is in no way a part of the development agreement with them. has News Five’s Paul Lopez tells us more. Paul Lopez, Reporting Dr. Sade Thompson, along with two fellow American investors, says they’re pulling out of the Howler Jungle House and Cabanas project in Burrell Boom. They claim their Belizean business partners, Kenny and Shanna Williams, charged them way too much to build and manage three structures and other amenities on the property. Dr. Thompson told News Five that trust has completely broken down. She and her partners now want the buildings removed from the site altogether. But the Williamses aren’t staying silent. Their attorney, Andrew Bennett, is firmly rejecting the accusations. Voice of: Dr. Sade Thompson, American Investor “And then once we told them we gave them a thirty days notice and that is when they completely blocked Jasmyn from the property. They decided she was not allowed for no reason. They said we have guest we don’t want to disrupt them. So, we gave notice. So, we sent it by email from our lawyer. They said, oh that is not enough.” Jazmynn Tillett has been acting on behalf of the American investors in Belize. And Bennett says his clients did not block Tillett from the property without reason. Andrew Bennett, Attorney-at-law “We want to be clear, because we anticipate this may lead to litigation. We have written to their attorneys and offered solutions in respect to the removal of these structures and that is still a live matter and we want to be careful.” Back on September twenty-fourth, Morales and Company sent a letter to Courtenay Coye LLP suggesting that any relocation of the buildings be pushed to the tourist off-season, ideally May 2026. But Dr. Thompson isn’t on board with that timeline. She says they’ve already lined up contractors who are ready to move the structures now, even if it means taking a financial hit. Voice of: Dr. Sade Thompson “That is where we are all kind of at and where we have recognized the loses and it is really frustrating and that is why when Shanna came back and said May, we were just like why so long. Our plan is to get the buildings and have them ready by high season. 26they are a really good contracting company.” Andrew Bennett “These were built from scratch. It was so the removal and dismantling of these structures, as you noticed when we are coming in, the passage is not good for a mass removal and so within our conversation or communication we were told that they would dismantle and take out. But there are still little things that needs to be worked out as far as that is concerned.” Basically, the Williamses don’t want Tillett anywhere near the property anymore; their working relationship has completely fallen apart. And back in June, the American investors made it clear, they ordered the buildings to be locked up and taken out of use. So now, those three structures have just been sitting there for months, untouched. Voice of: Dr. Sade Thompson “The main thing we want is to be able to take our property and move it. They even have a clause in the agreement is that if it is breached you guys can move according to the agreement and we believe that all the fraud we uncovered is a breach and we don’t want to work with them anymore.” Andrew Bennett “Imagine somebody comes and they want peace and tranquility and when they come they hear construction happening and the road access blocked. You don’t get the value and enjoyment of Belize because of that. This is the height of the tourism season. Doctor Thompson does not understand Belize tourism season.” Legal tensions are heating up in the Howler Jungle House dispute, and the paperwork is under the microscope. Barrow and Williams LLP have flagged several inconsistencies in the lease agreement tied to the Burrell Boom property. In a letter to Dr. Sade Thompson, the firm warned that without proper legal structure, the current setup will continue to cause problems. One major issue? The land hasn’t been surveyed or subdivided as required by the Land Utilization Act. That step is crucial for transferring titles to each investor. The firm recommends a more formal approach, setting up a limited liability company where each investor becomes a shareholder. Meanwhile, the conflict on the ground continues. Shanna and Kenny Williams argue that despite claims from Tillett that she’s been locked out of the property, surveillance footage shows individuals entering and removing items in boxes. At this point, both sides will need to sit down, with their lawyers, and figure out how to move forward. Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.
