Barton Middleton Denies Involvement in Visa Foil Scandal

Barton Middleton

Though he may be forgetful of events, Barton Middleton is well aware of why he was called to Belmopan today. No less than four persons – Immigration Officers Mark Tench, Lindsay Wade and Vernon Leslie – as well as Patrick Tillett – have detailed their alleged dealings with Middleton as an Immigration “agent.” Tillett said he paid him as much as four thousand dollars to get the stolen visa foils “fixed”, which it appears he was not able to do. But Middleton insisted that he had nothing to do with any visas of any kind and cannot believe his name has been called this way.

Barton Middleton, Businessman

“I don’t know anything about any visas, stolen or otherwise. So I was summoned to come before this Committee, because I was informed that my name was being called, in regards to visas being stolen; and my duty as a citizen of Belize is to come here and answer your questions because it was a summon and when someone is summoned they must appear, by law. I’m here today and I feel that based on testimony given by different people, that it is right for this Committee to question me. But I also believe that I’m being badgered, and I have explained – I don’t know anything about any visas and as long as the questioning goes on, I remain to tell you that I don’t know anything about any visas. And what people have been saying about me, that’s their statement; I don’t know these people. And I resent the fact [that I had] to come here today, and I feel like my time is being wasted because I don’t know anything about any visas, and yet I keep getting questions about visas. So continue with your questions; I will respectfully answer your questions the best I can, but let me reiterate: I don’t know anything about any visas, stolen or otherwise.”