Guatemalan Gallup Pollsters detained for posing as tourists
A group of Guatemalan nationals who entered Belize over the weekend as tourists were detained by police for suspicious activities. The group was reportedly conducting polls for the international Gallup agency, that provides data-driven news based on U.S. and world polls as well as daily tracking and public opinion research. They caught the attention of the authorities because of their line of questioning. The six women and two men arrived through the Western Border and immediately started the polling, which included information on crime and national security issues. But on Wednesday, they were all released when it was verified that they had been employed by Gallup, which has an office in Guatemala.
Did they have work permits for the Jewel?
Putting this story in context of Guatemala budgeting $46-million US for an “awareness” campaign for the referendum, I’m betting that the Guatemala government wants to find out points of dissatisfaction in the Jewel, so it can direct propaganda at Belizeans to support the ICJ.
While our politicians assure us we have a “can’t lose” position with the ICJ, the Guatemalan government has been telling it’s people that they can’t lose, either. Could GOB be mistaken? The ICJ process could be purely political, with the outcome determined by lobbying and pressure, not facts and law. In that case, good-bye Belize.
What a waste of resources by the police. What is so suspicious to ask questions? If you don’t want to answer,just slam the door in their faces like we did to our own black Belizeans at Census acouple years ago. Everyone is so itchy – !@#$%^. the point is that we have reduced ourselves to paranoid, delusional, irrelevancy.
are they still in Belize?
Did they go back?
Did their visa say tourist or business?
Does anyone know?
Belizeans have the choice of Buridan’s @$$. If Guatemala wins at ICJ, we become their @$$-wipe; if Belize wins, we elect to become the @$$-wipes of Caricom. Either way we are slated for doom.how did we get into this mess? Should we blame the imperialist Englanders or blame ourselves to be led by phenomenal, stupid, greedy politicians?
@Storm………. The Lord knows that I try to ignore your posts, but Good Gawd, you are so goddam idiotic.
Guatemalans coming over the border don’t need work permits. Belize belongs to them. Ask Barrow or Elrington if you don’t believe.
Storm, today’s lesson is about labor laws in Belize. Unless the foreign person engages in work for compensation, no work permit is needed. Walking around, asking questions is hardly considered work.
Spies are trained to use legitimate companies as a cover to shield their activities. This is simply a case of undercover spying. Nothing more, nothing less.
Work permits. Work permits. Gawd, why do we have to endure such senility?
espionage!!!
100 years jail time
Uncle Benji, one of us may be approaching senility, but based on this post, it’s not me.
I didn’t post anything on this story until I saw your attack on me. I didn’t comment about work permits or anything else.
Bear posted a comment about work permits, but I took it as sarcasm, since his real point related the story to the ICJ referendum and Guat propaganda, which may be what is really happening.
Anyway, Uncle B., it’s always nice to hear from you. You’re my role model. Have a great day.
oh gosh, why GOB accepts people coming to bze like they r belizeans. gob SHOULD IMPLEMENT STRICT IMMIGRATION LAWS & do not give them just a 24 hrs permit. They can come to bze and do whatever they want BUT GO TO GUATEMALA TERRITORY OR ANY OTHER COUNTRY and they will throw u out like dogs. SO WHAT THE !@#$ IS GOING ON IN BZE.
oh !@#$, BLAME THE EMBASSY IN INDIA.. WHY SHOULD THEY JUST PROVIDE VISA TO ANYONE WHO WANTS TO STUDY IN BZE.. HELL WITH THEM. POLITICIANS SHOUL DKNOW THAT INDIA, ASIA & AFRICA WILL DO ANYTHING TO COME TO BELIZE. thats what happens to give visa to any freaking. for sure the Bze embassies r well paid for. what a disgrace
what the !@#$ is going in BZE. the freaking GOB & immigration laws should be very strict. WHY allowing other ilegals coming to bze and do whatever they want. DO NOT GIVE THEM 24 HR PERMIT TO BE IN BZE CAUSE IF U GO TO GUATEMALA OR OTHER COUNTRIES THEY WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO DO SUCH THINGS, THEY’LL THROW U LIKE DOGS BACK TO BZE. COME ON STUPID GOB GET UR BLACK @$$ AND DO SOMETHING.
@Storm…. I goofed. It wan’t you that posted the article I referred to. Anyway, glad to see you took it stride.
Hold the fort down. I am in Houston TX for the upcoming elections. Voting for our boy, Romney. Tight race, but he will survive. I will be back in Belize the day after Romney wins.
Ch 5 TV (Belize) has excellent reception here in Houston. I luv it (reception – not Houston.)
Then you will be in Houston for a while Uncle Benji………..cause Romney AIN’T winning.
By the way the next Presidential will be November 2016, just in case you didn’t know that too.
Benji, I can see how you might read my comment and confuse it for Storm. He and I both write too much.
I like to think most people who post here really love the Jewel and want the best for it and its people. We’re just sitting on the porch debating politics and such, digital-style. Most of the time we keep it good-natured, although sometimes sharp.