The manager of the Hummingbird Citrus Farm, 33 year old Ray Ogaldez was today charged with 19 counts of employing a person not in possession of an employment permit. Police and Immigration officers raided Ogaldez’s farm in La Democracia yesterday morning at 9.
They rounded up 19 immigrant workers – 17 men and 2 women. 17 of them are from Guatemala and the two others are from Honduras and according to court reports – none of them had valid work permits or proof that he entered Belize legally.
Ogaldez pleaded not guilty and was released on bail of $3,000 which he met. His case was adjourned to February 16th. If convicted, the fine for employing an illegal worker is $1,000. That means Ogaldez would face a fine of $19,000 for the nineteen undocumented workers. There was no indication in court about the fate of the 19 workers.
