Today, the House of Representatives met in Belmopan, principally to approve the legislation for a 40% income tax on petroleum companies. And while that was the major business of the meeting, the news came when Opposition Leader Dean Barrow exposed what he says is another immigration department scandal. Barrow says that the department is selling permanent residence cards to mainland Chinese who haven't even entered the country.
Hon. Dean Barrow, UDP Leader
“I want to accuse this government, the Immigration Department, as an agency of the this government, of resuming the illegal sale of permanent residency cards. It is clear that an illegal sale of permanent residency cards is taking place at the Immigration Department.”
And Barrow offered this, photocopies of 18 permanent residency cards, all with
blank dates of arrival. According to the information, these people have never set foot in Belize but their cards were issued and signed by Director of Immigration Carmen Zetina. Barrow said this is a stark diversion from standard, established practice.
Hon. Dean Barrow,
“The normal policy under the Immigration Act is for people to come on Visitor’s Visas and for them to renew those visas for a period of about a year, the period can be shortened depending on the circumstances. And at that juncture, they are able to apply for the permanent residency cards. In this case, these people are given permanent residency cards without every having set foot in Belize. There are about eighteen examples of this here Madam Speaker. In every case the permit to reside appears to have been signed by the Director of Immigration.
I don’t know whether the Director is doing this as a matter of carrying out government’s policy or whether the director is doing this on his own. I will give him the benefit of the doubt, knowing the government, and being unable to give them the benefit of any doubt, based on their record.”
Well Minister of Immigration Ralph Fonseca says that it is a matter of policy, investment policy.
Hon Ralph Fonseca, Minister of Immigration
“The matter of permanent residence is a matter that has, that where the Minister and the Director of Immigration have got very wide latitude. You have people that come to Belize to invest in Belize, that come to Belize frequently but do not have work permits. So we have been trying to struggle over the last many years to find a system where we can make these permanent residents.”
And that latitude was used to encourage investment.
Hon. Ralph Fonseca,
“Once the individual comes to Belize, and he has demonstrated that in fact he is an investor, and even better if he has made an investment, that in fact that person can become a permanent resident of Belize.”
But these aren’t all investors. Of the 18 a few are still teenagers and Barrow said that it is a scandal.
Hon. Dean Barrow,
“Given all that has happened with the Immigration Department, given all that is happening now, in terms of transborder terrorism and the fears of the industrialized world about the sanctity of systems dealing with things like issuing travel documents, one is absolutely astounded that this kind of thing can be happening yet again.”
Hon. Ralph Fonseca,
“He has now gotten desperate to the point that he is waiving some
photocopies of something in the air, knowing very well that if he did that in court, the judge would have long sent him back to his law office.”
Hon. Dean Barrow,
“Naked corruption, which is absolutely unforgivable, and which shows how recidivist this government is, how absolutely intractable it is in terms of reform and changing its ways and secondly the question of our foreign relations and our place in the international global system and the fight against terrorism.”
