Tonight an immigration officer is facing disciplinary and criminal charges after he viciously slapped down a woman waiting to get processed at the western border - and if it wasn't captured on surveillance camera - you might not believe how nasty it was.
It happened on Tuesday May 07th when 48 yr. old, Immigration Officer, Lisbey got out of his booth, walked over and assaulted a Belizean woman who was in line on her way back from Melchor.
It seems the woman thought the officer was taking too long when checking the permits/ passports and she expressed her frustration by calling for faster service. Well, he responded with an outrageous assault - which left the woman out on the floor. Her injuries were classified as wounding.
The CEO in the Ministry of ImmigrationTanya Santos told us that immediately after the incident was confirmed, Lisbey was placed on administrative leave as per Public Service Regulations. He was subsequently charged for "wounding" by the police. She added that her Ministry is working closely with the Police Department and the Ministry of the Public Service and expects that before the end of the day he will be placed on interdiction.
She added that Lisbey has been with the Ministry for 13 years, and there is nothing on his file indicating behavioral issues.
Santos also told us, quote, "The Ministry of Immigration does not countenance nor condone that type of behavior and would certainly not want to see people who behave in that fashion within this Ministry. While we are guided by due process and the various statutes that govern the public service, we assure the public that we will be pursuing this to the fullest extent possible.
The majority of the Ministry's staff are hardworking and conscientious Belizeans who try to do a good job on a daily basis. However, we advise the public that if they have any complaints about similar treatment by staff of the Ministry of Immigration, they can report these to our Customer Service Desk (Attention Chief Executive Officer) at the following contacts and it will be investigated:
Whatsapp: 610-2143 (8 am - 5 pm)
Extension: 828-5213 (8 am - 5 pm)
Email: customer.service@immigration.gov.bz
Santos told us the ministry is prioritizing and bolstering its customer service, public relations and conflict resolution training to improve our interaction with and service to the public.
