Opposition Leader Dean Barrow claims to have exposed Immigration Minister Ralph Fonseca and Director Carmen Zetina on Friday, and today Barrow's party picked up the attack.
Referring to Zetina's interview with 7NEWS on Friday night, in which he explained that the members of 10 families from mainland China were given Belizean Permanent Resident status in exchange for a bond of US$15,000 per family, deposited at the Central Bank. Permanent resident cards were granted but no date of arrival was entered because the cardholders have not entered the country, yet have full permanent resident status. Zetina stressed that the programme, limited to 10 families, is a test. He could not state exactly how many persons, that is how many dependents were included in these families.
Well, the UDP has called it a straightforward sale of permanent residency cards. A statement form the party says the program is sordid and corrupt, and asks the government to put a stop to it. Zetina had indicated to us that it has been suspended until this 10 family trial is completed.
