How Did Guyanese Born/Canadian National William Mason Become a Native Belizean?

Before coming to Belize William Danny Mason, using multiple names, was known to be a grifter, a con man, and a scam artist without scruples. In Belize he was a great friend of highly placed politicos and Police, but his schemes took on a violent tone. He is believed to have extorted several persons in Belize out of large sums of cash, and then threatened to kill them when they attempted to get back that money. His victims were afraid, more so because he told them about his deep connections. Almost two months ago, Mason is believed to have kidnapped Mennonite Lloyd Thiessen and his wife at gunpoint over three hundred thousand dollars they tried to get back from him. He later released them after extorting them for another twenty-five hundred dollars per week. While leading that apparently violent life, in just a short time Mason was able to infiltrate high society and even get access to a birth certificate claiming that he was born in Belize, to parents from Crooked Tree. How did the Guyanese born Canadian national become a native Belizean? That’s a good question with no good answer.

Godwin Hulse

Godwin Hulse, Minister of Immigration

“We found nothing. I immediately asked after I left the press conference, contacted the Director of Immigration and the people at the passport office to research the file to see if he had gotten a passport and how he got it. From their records there is no record of him having a passport, a Belize passport! That is where I am with it. We have left that open for continued research in terms of the electronic follow-up of that process, and to date everybody is saying no, no Mason applied, no passport. I have instructed them to look under the other names as well to see if any passport was issued under the other names so as of this interview, that’s the position.”

Reporter

“Have you been able to follow up the birth certificate angle of this?”

Godwin Hulse

“No. Absolutely not. But I can tell you that the Prime Minister and Cabinet instructed the Attorney-General who is responsible for vital statistics to look into that like post-haste because of course that is a serious matter.”

William Mason

Reporter

“Sir have you been able to do any research as to how and when he entered the country? We’ve seen a document which says that he is a Guyanese and his name is Rajesh Ouelett. Are you able to tell us the history of his entry into the country?”

Godwin Hulse

“No. Not at this time. This is an ongoing thing and I don’t want to prejudice. No information has come back to me. I’ve simply said to the C.E.O. and to the Director – and as you know the role of Immigration has been split functionally and supervisory so to speak. So they are working on that. I can assure you that as soon as we get some information we will pass it to you.”

Reports coming out of Spanish Lookout and Cayo suggest that Mason was introduced to Lloyd Thiessen by another very senior, then very powerful politician, former Deputy Prime Minister Gaspar Vega. We tried to get comment from Vega today, but he didn’t answer.