Since Tuesday, we've been closely following the story of the ugly scene which played out at the Philip Goldson Airport. It involved some 30-plus passengers who arrived on a COPA flight from Panama, but who were refused leave to land in Belize.
Last night, you heard the bitter complaints of ill-treatment that their attorney, OJ Elrington, raised against immigration and police. They alleged multiple misbehaviors and human rights violations by the Belizean authorities, and today, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade & Immigration responded with full disclosure via a press conference.
Firstly, they clarify that there were 37 passengers who were refused leave to land: 35 Venezuelans, 1 Moroccan, and 1 Dominican Republic National. According to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, their rights were not violated, and the state's agents tried to address the situation as best as possible. Here's an excerpt of the full disclosure from Minister Courtenay:
Hon. Eamon Courtenay - Minister of Foreign Affairs
"These 37 persons were boarded on a Copa Airlines flight to be returned to Panama. Before the flight departed, and whilst onboard the flight, the national of the Dominican Republic objected to being returned to Panama and became disruptive. He started inciting the other persons who were being returned, and they became unruly. As a result of this, the pilot refused to transport them to Panama, as they presented a security risk. In accordance with the standard practice, the 37 passengers were de-boarded. As there is no detention facility to house persons who are refused entry to land, the Immigration officials contacted the Commissioner of Police, and the director of Human Services to assist with the detention and accommodation of these persons. Before leaving the PGIA, the detainees were served food and water at approximately 7:00 p.m. The 21 males and four females were escorted to the Queen Street Police Station. The other five females and seven children were escorted to the Dorothy Menzies Children's Home. Arrangements were made for police guards, three meals, and water to be served, until their planned departure on Wednesday, 19th January 2022. The diplomatic representatives of the Government of Venezuela interviewed their nationals yesterday. Yesterday, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees wrote to the Minister of Immigration and requested access to the detained persons. We have informed UNHCR that they can have access to these persons today at the Biltmore. Let me conclude by saying this. All persons detained would have been dealt with, according to the law of Belize. We will continue I repeat continue to respect the human rights of these persons."
So, what about the passengers being placed in a police detention cell? Well, according to the Minister, COPA had the responsibility to look after their arrangements after they were refused leave to land in Belize. Here's how he explained it when we asked that question:
Hon. Eamon Courtenay - Minister of Foreign Affairs
"The reason for the delay in putting them in the hotel was COPA's fault. The immigration law says that it is the expense of the Airline, any carrier that brings in a person. As I understand it, the local manager had to get approval from head office, and there was a delay there, and he could not on his own say, Yes, I will take the decision to accept the costs. that meeting was held yesterday, as I said, around 3:15. They accepted their responsibility, the arrangements are made, and the people are probably there already. So let me be clear, they were never in prison. They were never -"
Cherisse Halsall
"They were I'm sorry in that cell block, correct?"
Hon. Eamon Courtenay
"I don't know. The police station doesn't have anywhere else to keep them. Where else could we have put them which is a structural problem. Ordinarily, it would happen the same day, and so people, you know, with less than that let's say if it's American Airlines and so on, they would say immediately yes. It appears that the manager here didn't have that authority, and there was a delay in him getting their approval. We don't have anywhere else to keep them, but ordinarily, the processing doesn't take so long, and therefore we were able to we would be able to get them to a hotel."
The Human Rights Commission of Belize has sent out a press release saying, quote, "the Venezuelans reached out HRCB for support HRCB has confirmed that they are being detained with blatant disregard for proper legal procedures" End quote.
