And we also asked Courtenay for an update on the Schengen Visa waiver. He admitted that it's taking longer than first expected, but maintains that Belize has a strong case. He also emphasized again the situation with Canadian Visas, and the extreme delays that Belizeans have in getting them. He noted that when he travels there for the Canada-CARICOM summit, he will bring it up to their officials.
Eamon Courtenay, Minister of Foreign Affairs
"With respect to the Schengen, as I have said before, we are working the diplomatic channels to try to reach a position where the Commission, the European Commission on Home, takes a decision that they will have open a new list of countries that they will review for Schengen visa waivers."
"Our hope is that whenever that decision is taken, Belize is on the list. So we are speaking to the European Commission itself, we are speaking to governments bilaterally to try to say to them, this is Belize's case, we satisfy the requirements, encourage the Commission to take the decision and hopefully put Belize on the list."
"When is that going to happen? Our ambassador had a meeting this week with representatives from the Commission and they updated her to say that no decision has yet been taken as to when it is going to happen."
"Again, acknowledge that we have a very strong case but they were just exchanging notes and giving us some more information about where things are so that we can try to continue to have the process move forward."
"I wanted to say to Belizeans, this is taking longer than we want but we have to respect the process, that is the European Union process. And so as I said, I think the case looks good, it's just a matter of time."
"With respect to Canada, Prime Minister is leading a delegation to Canada for the summit with Caricom and Canada at the invitation of Prime Minister Trudeau. That takes place I believe on the 18th and 19th of this month and it's a very important summit from Belize's' perspective."
"The first issue that we want to raise bilaterally, not at the summit, is the question of migration, the question of visas. I have received several complaints from Belizeans who find it extremely difficult and frustrating to get a visa to go to Canada."
"I've had very good discussions with the ambassador, the high commissioner to Belize from Canada on this issue. So it's certainly on their radar. And I'm hoping that I'll be able to speak to some other officials, if not the minister, when we go to Canada to say, we need Canada to expedite Belizeans who want to go to Canada."
"There is no reason why Belizeans are put through the hoops that they have to go through the time. In fact, I had a specific one where somebody waited for over a year before they were able to get a visa."
"That's not acceptable to us. We are not a migration threat to Canada. And we will be putting forward our argument very strongly for there to be a visa waiver or at least a more efficient system."
