Last week it seemed that government was back pedaling on its proposed immigration restrictions on Jamaicans traveling to Belize.
Today the Prime Minister explained the latest position on Sunup - but it is clearly up in the air:
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"And so, with the Jamaicans we said well it's not as pronounced but we need to be able to see what can be done about trying to stop the Jamicans that just want to use Belize as a transit to go illegally in the United States. We want Jamaicans, we want Haitians to come and to spend their money and to spend their time here in Belize but it is also creating a problem for us as a country. We don't want the United States to call us out as a drug trafficker, I'm sorry, as a human trafficking nation."
"And if we see these large numbers and we can't control them then we have to do something. We are a part of CARICOM. We signed onto the Treaty of Chagrarraumas but we also have a responsibility first to Belize, we have not made a decision when it comes to Jamaica but I am glad that this discussion has come up because now in Jamaica, now they are starting to realize that there is a problem and so we at the end of the day, Jamaica protects the interest of Jamaica, Belize has to protect the interest of Belize."
