Belizean Students Waiting for Approval to Return Home
A group of Belizean students in Massachusetts in the U.S. is waiting for approval from the government to return home. Saint John’s Anglican school teacher Keisha Garbutt and three other students completed their master’s degree in May, but were allowed to stay on campus until June thirtieth. They say they have applied to be repatriated to Belize, but have yet to receive approval and the airport will not open as initially planned for July first. Garbutt says that they need to receive approval before the end of the month so that they can return home since they don’t have any other place to stay in the U.S.
Keisha Garbutt, Belizean Student
“Yes, myself with the other three Belizeans students we are waiting patiently to go home because whilst the university has made provisions for us to be here we cannot be here anytime longer than the thirtieth of June. That is our moving out date because of funding they had to reserve funding from donations they received from the general public to pay our extended stay here because our stay here was only up to the fourteenth of May which was our graduation. And the fifteen of may we were suppose to pack up and go home.”
Keisha Garbutt
Hipolito Novelo
“However you and the other Belizeans have applied for repatriation process online.”
Keisha Garbutt
“Yes, the same day forms came out we applied and we have received a feed back that they have received our application forms but we still have to be patient while they process these forms.”
Hipolito Novelo
“Would you say that your patience is running thin or your concern is growing because you have to leave there by the end of the month?”
Keisha Garbutt
“Yes, our main concern is just where will we go if they are not ready to receive us by the end of June. None of us have family here in Boston. It is hard on us. For me personally I really want to come home. Some days we feel really depressed. Some days we are okay. Some days we feel like we are developing high blood pressure but we stick together.”
