Long list of charges for Immigration Officers caught in flight of Chinese Nationals
As we said earlier, four immigration officers were charged late this evening in connection with the immigration scam. They are twenty-nine year old Candra Wade, thirty three year old Jason Daly, thirty year old Lindsay Wade and forty two year old Angelica Lima. Candra is charged with a total of twelve counts. Eight are for Forgery of an Official document, which is the arrival record for the Chinese passengers, even though the court documents still referred to them as Japanese. The other four charges are for Purposely Aiding and Facilitating the Commission of an Offence under the Immigration Act. Jason Daly is facing a total of seventeen counts. These include eight counts of Forgery and nine for Purposely Aiding the Chinese. Lindsay Wade is charged with four counts – two for Forgery and two for purposely Aiding. And Angelica Lima is facing twenty four counts altogether, split evenly between the same two counts. Candra, Daly and Lima were all granted bail of twenty thousand dollars, none of whom met it this evening. Lindsay met his bail of five thousand dollars. All the bails were granted on the condition that they report to the Clerk of Court once a week and do not interfere with the witnesses. News Five spoke with attorney Arthur Saldivar about his clients.
Arthur Saldivar, Attorney
arthur saldivar
“At this moment, I am still being apprised of the latest developments. I was in court this morning when I was informed by text that the police had actually gone to the immigration offices and arrested a number of my clients on the basis that they came to a conclusion someway somehow that the immigration officers are to be blamed for the flight that came in and the people who they processed. It’s a ridiculous state of affairs. Much so that at this moment, I am just now in a position to be able to see firsthand what it is that that the government is alleging. So I’ll be going over shortly to speak with a few of them to get that information. But from my understanding there is a press conference where the minister of defense; I understand there are other officials, the C.E.O. of tourism and the C.E.O. of police are in attendance. I would hope that they would arrest the minister of defense as well. It would only be just. How can you finger the employee without have the employer be liable. Did he know or did he not know? Either of the two prepositions: if he knew and did nothing then he is directly liable and culpable for what took place, if he did not know then he is incompetent. So which is it. Was he sober or drunk at the time.”
The bails should be much higher like in the USA so this can serve as a deterrence to illegal activities.
I am certain that this will be just another BELIZEAN CIRCUS SHOW.
we have witness innumerous times when public officials are charged for offences but eventually are free by the court because of ‘ x’ number of reasons. A clear example, are the number of charges to various police officers, in different instances, whom all charges are dropped.
The Government is just trying to cool down matters, but we Belizeans should not be satisfied until the process moves from charges to convictions/sentencing of both the low level public officers and high level public officials.
These persons charged are only a small number of persons involved. who authorized the plane to land??? who had the foreign diplomatic contacts to facilitates all of this?
Is Mr. Saldivar going to ask the judge to release the money his clients were paid so that he can be a creative, enthusiastic advocate for them?
There is a rumor that you fellows all hang out after work & drink together. If the Minister is a lush, maybe the recall law was written for just this situation. Do your civic duty & use your legal expertise to start a recall petition.
I have never heard anything so bloody absurd. These people are being used as scapegoats. The politicians only have look within themselves and start volunteering to face these charges. All this started with Mr Musa and some of his cronies in the PUP government and now it seems with UDP. We are now accusing these two women and men of this crime? I have lost all faith in mankind. I now know what human beings are capable of when given power. What is far more disturbing is that our countrymen sit down and watch this injustice take place. We the people only have to look and there are detailed accounts of these kind of wrong doings since 1999, a worldwide fact (Fern Abrams). All been controlled and so no reporting inside Belize.
You want to tell me these guys masterminded the trafficking of chinese people across the world and then reported on themselves? What about air traffic control? What about Minister of Defence? This goes right to the top these poor people at the bottom of the chain are the ones who are humilitated. These people really think we’re jackasses.
These arrests is a form of BANDAGE on a DETRIMENTAL WOUND–People all over the world
even
those stricken by a learning disability would tell you that everything here is BOGUS. Trust and
Believe the UNITED STATES is watching. It hurts to know that innocent people will be dragged
through the mud–treated like cheap, stinking rubbish for the GREED and CRIMINAL ACTIONS
of those who are guilty as SIN -but is ready to hammer the nail—-THOSE PEOPLE COMING
THROUGH BELIZE are definately coming to the U.S—- I KNOW THE AMERICANS WON’T
TOLERATE THESE POTENTIALLY THREATENING ACTIVITIES ..which is coming out of BELIZE.
All the Immigration officers need to be FIRED,put in jail for LiFE.They have no right to let illigal people in the country,but you can bet money is involved in this.
What happened to the aircraft and pilot or pilots that flew these people into Belize were they detained?Perdomo is talking bs this was orchestrated in the higher echelon of the Government.Why havn’t Perdomo been held for questioning.After these aircrafts landed at the airport why weren’t the BDF deployed to the airport so as to detain these people?This smells like fish to me.
yea…it happens only in belize.
Guilty! Guilty! But where were these “Chineys” headed? Who was going to house them? Who were they going to be living with?
I have said it before, and Ch.5 bloggers got into a tizzy; but I will say it again, “Chiney” da fu “Chiney.” They are Belizeans because of an economical convenience. They are not Belizeans at heart.
Keep watching, reading and searching – you will find that there is a Belizean Chinese connection; and it smells of corruption.
It’s about time we crack down on Customs and Immigration Officers they hustle alot. It’s about time!!!!!!!!!!!
These type of things have been happening for years its unfortunate that these people have to made examples.
Mr. Arthur Saldivaris a smart man and u got it right the small fish always get caught and put up front this is more than wa the news say its deeper. Huh knowing yah da Belize mek we wait and see how it turn out
These people will walk. They arrested the little players as smoke screen. This is not a low level operation. There is someone in authority at the airport or in the immigration department who knows much more about this than the poor pawns that were arrested. How can any airplane just land in Belize. I say the American Secret Service and CIA need to find out what Belize government is up to. American security can be threathened by this money hungry people. Each time that I have come home to Belize I was treated so rudely by the people working at the immigration desks at the airport, I bet they were nice to these people involved in this illegal operation.
BZNin Cali….the recall law is not to recall ministers, it is to recall area reps. Minister of Immigration can be removed anytime by Mr. Barrow. Al…..you are so right, these officers are scapegoats…..they probably collected some chum change while some big wigs collected a couple hundred thousand. The problem is that we will never find out cause these same big wigs keeps the police from being able to solve these type of crimes.
True those arrested are the fall guys but never the less they are also guilty, I understand that if they don’t go with the crap that is handed down they will be likely victimized and probably lose their jobs anyway, on the other side the immigration and custom particularly the custom guys have always had their own scams and corruption going if you things happening at the airport is bad you should focus on the port in Belize city where most of the imports comes the government is losing mega bucks there but it is all a part of the way things are done in Belize. I say yes these guys are most likely guilty for what they have done since they should know better but of course they were not in this all by themselves with that said I think the best thing that they could do for themselves is to call a press conference and start calling some names.
Welcome to Belize were cocaine turn Flower, Guns go missing and Criminals walk free, Land of the Free !!! we need to crack down this ting come on it all starts from the higher level lets start there these Immigtaion people that were arested played a small roll in this but how di hell will they tell a plane wen to land they no control that and the operators at the airport knows wats going on
This is so unfair because these officers are being used as scapegoats. I am pretty sure this entire incidents stems from way up so Mr. Barrow needs to do something to clean up this issue, but then again maybe he too has been payed off. At these heights of corruption anything is possible.
If not Chinese it was Guatemalans. If not Guatemalans, then Hondurans, and the list goes on. Stop focusing on the race/nationality of these people! That is NOT THE ISSUE. The issue is we have had powerful corrupt people for years facilitating HUMAN TRAFFICKING. I am happy that the US Embassy finally takes a stand and told the government to stop their bullsh*t.
well i dont care if they caught the little fish am not sorry for them because they are traitors to their country in other countries they would all go to jail for 25yrs but also this starts from the top barrow is also involved in this and the little fish learn from the big fish so if we have a traitor as a pm then the rest of the gov. will start being also and who cares if the us knows about it or not they do the same on the mexican border every day but my fellow belizeans am telling you to kill a snake you have to cut the head off not the tail because that will grow back this whole corrupt gov from the top down needs to go resign barrow resignnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn.and elgin you are right why dont they capture the pilot who flew these people to belize he is probably doing this all over his plane needs to be confiscated .
I wouldnt want this lawyer representing me at all. He speaks to quickly without thinking it through. First of all it is the police not the governemnt who charged these guys. Secondly if you are a lawyer worth his salt you would never make an accusation to the press without having pproof beyond reasonable doubt in case the person you discredit 9 Minister of Defence) sues you for defamation and makes you look like you talk before thinking.Mr Saldivar might be a great lawyer, but he sure does seem to get carried away when he speaks to the press.
Even if these oficers are being used as scape goats the fact is there were Immigarration officers on tthose said nights who committed criminal offences. Whether it is these officers or other officers is a different story. It would be stupid if somebody could do a crime and turn around and say well judge and jury mi baas tell mi fi do it. That would be ridiculous. Imagine if i kill your brother and i say no send me da jail. Mi baas tell mi fi kill di man. see how silly it sounds.
Corruption in Belize…nothing new cause it’s happening at all levels…that’s how the rich get richer and di po ppl poorer
This cannot be blamed on the immigration officers alone. They are probably heavily involved for processing, but the planning, financing and coordination probably includes some very prominent people, and we will probably never know the whole story. Oh well… at least it’s entertaining.
The bigger question is, who were these people they were sneaking in, and can you imagine the amounts of monies involved. My bet is that they were out of the country that night.
There is certainly a cover up by authorities because this incident is an ‘International Human Smuggling Ring’; thus, requiring for the international operation to function, a well organized structure with numerous actors that have power and authority. In other words, this incident involves a great number of actors, FROM high ranking elected and appointed public officials TO low-level public officers.
If we examine the situation carefully for this illegal human trafficking ring to operate, we can observe the following points:
1.) the fake visas had genuine numbers.
Who (minister, CEO, senior official) provided the numbers for the visas, which are secured in the immigration vault and accessed by a handful of individuals?
[Minister, CEO, Senior Immigration officials]
2.) the visas # had to be given from five of the Embassies of Belize permitted to give visas
Which embassy of Belize in the Caribbean allowed to provide this service? Cuba?
[Ambassadors]
3.) the airplane company is based in Santo Domigo but was charted to fly from Haiti to Belize
Who charted the airplane? How the Japanese got clearance from Haiti immigration?
[Foreign diplomats]
4.) The flights were schedule to fly on the schedule of certain customs officials
Who is responsible for the flight schedules to Belize? What civil aviation have to say about this? Who was at the airport tower to give the clearance for landing? which airspace did the flight used?
[Civil Aviation]
5.) The flights were mainly during the evening
why was no suspicion raised? Why didn’t immigration officers got concern when they saw that there was no place of issuance of the visas? why didn’t customs officials question the tourist who didn’t had luggage?
[Immigration and Custom Officers]
6.) The airport have cameras
what the driver of the transporting van have to say? why his name is not released so the media question him too? where he dropped off the supposing ‘tourist’?
[taxi driver]
7.) the Chinese immigrants needed a place to sleep.
who provided them with food and shelter?
[Hotelier]
This briefly analysis, clearly points out that there are several suspects in this incident; including High Level Authorities of Belize. The following suspects should be questioned:
minister, CEO, senior immigration officers; ambassadors; foreign diplomats; civil aviation; immigration and customs officials; taxi driver; hotelier; etc…
1.) A recommendation is that an independent commission need to be establish to do the investigation because there will be a cover up because it involves elected politicians.
My recommendation is that it should not include the suspects mentioned above but the commission be composed of (i) both PUP and UDP appointed members; U.S. intelligence officers (just for this case); judges; senior police officers from not the district of Belize;and others. This commission has to involved different parties with different interest so that the report of the truth is non-bias.
2.) the immigration officers should be allowed to give a press conference
This press conference will allow the media to ask the tough question and allow the whole story to be revealed.
3.) the court should make a deal with custom officials
they should be given some sort in leniency of they confess who all are involved.
LET’S START TO SOLVE THIS MYSTERY.
We should ask who is the leader of this crime. For one its not the people that got charge. They got to be someone else behind all this. Someone knew about these two flight I think the officer that was in charge was told what to do. Their is someone else in gov that knew about these flight its not these poor people.
I ask myself how come the opposition is so quiet. The PUP would normally take this opportunity to come and tell us about ……………….. However, as my grandma would say not a squawk on such an important matter from them.
The silence is deafening, perhaps it is a case of letting sleeping dogs lie.
carfull GUINEA GRASS Observer u have the facts right and thats how is should be from the small fish to the big one but u know wa we no di hear nothing from the PM mmmmmm he quiet huh!!!
it has been happening long time some one no di get pay good just like the pills and the cocaine weh turn flower Belize Belize. But we a Blessed place 2 hurricane come one to the bottom and one to the top damn we so Blessed place lets live in Peace and harmony
chek bank accounts it should be fat by now huh
I am sure the authorities in Cuba also have something to do with this since nothing happens in a country like Cuba without them knowing, I’d have to say that they are also getting paid by the Chinese on that side, with all the favors Belize has accepted from Cuba I guess it’s time to pay the piper after all those Cuban scholarships are not really free and they want to bad mouth the USA for wanting concessions for grants provided to Belize well there is absolutely nothing wrong with that you receive you should be able to give something back but just don’t demand favors that will require the Country’s laws to be broken like in this Cuban situation.
What stark contrast, today we have the ugly issues of corruption, greed and selfishness from our Politicians. Whilst Chile today they have the euphoria of the rescuing the 33 miners. President Pinera enjoys the support of the entire country. Its a very positive thing for Latin America and the Caribbean as it shows the world they are capable of orchestrating such a challenging mission successfully. When the miners stated Estamos bien los 33 exactly 69 days ago they trusted those in authority that they would be brought out safely. One day the people of Belize will be able to say “Estamos todos bien”. Mr PM clean up the place starting with the police, the judiciary, the defence, immigration as its clear you have no control which means it is only a matter of time you wake up to a coup. I would hate to see my country descend into such chaos. Act now before it is too late for all of us.
I AGREE THAT THE OFFICERS NEED TO BE CHARGED FOR FACILITATING A CRIME, BUT THIS FLIGHT WAS AUHORIZED FROM WAY ABOVE THEIR PAY GRADE AND THEY ARE JUST A SMALL PART OF THE PROBLEM.
Due to delays in Atlanta my flight to Belize had to be re-routed to Honduras overnite because it could not land in Bze at 6:30 p.m as the staff had already gone home. So they said. So why are flights with undocumented Chinese/Japanese landing in Bze after hours? Who knows…these could have been terrorist. Belize is not immune from anything. These greedy Belizeans are sell out!!! THEY WILL PROBABLY SELL THEIR ….. IN JAIL TOO.
Belize is a country of big time corruption,how comes when corruption comes to light with the big boys in power(ministers,)none go to jail?dont forget,95% of them are lawyers,which means,the make the laws,and build them a hedge around them to protect them,so they dont ever never get cought when their crimes come to light.
uno need fu find who do the real ting because uno like chancy people and uno chargre angelica lima too much than the rest un suppose to pick someone ur size
.
that no fair cause then the come ina fu we belize in a illegal manner
u all need to know the real manner of the story then talk. u talking lone bull.