Immigration scandal is nothing new
One consequence of the saturation coverage that this station has given the current immigration scandal is that many viewers are trying to answer the question: What is Channel 5’s agenda? There is no shortage of theories. Some of them attribute the persistence of the reporting to animosity carried over from the Middle East conflict; others see the subversive hand of that evil Lord named Michael Ashcroft. Of course politics is never far from any Belizean conspiracy and everyone knows that former reporter Ann-Marie Williams has announced her desire to become the next mayor of Belize City. While religion and money remain such powerful factors that such motives can never be totally disproved, but the charge of political bias can. In 1995 Belize was gripped by another immigration scandal remarkably similar to the one currently plaguing us. The story was broken by the Amandala and like today, the Director of Immigration–at that time Efrain Usher–was the first to be hung out to dry. News 5’s reporter covering the story was none other than Ann-Marie Williams. When the deposed Usher explained that whatever he did was ordered by his boss, the Minister of Immigration, Ann-Marie tracked the politician down and put him on the spot. His name was Philip Goldson.
Philip Goldson
“I suppose he is disturbed because he has been fired. But, I have no reaction to today, nothing.”
Ann-Marie Williams
“So it wasn’t your orders?”
Philip Goldson
“I wouldn’t say that, because he was head of the department and the department generally carries out the orders of the minister. But I mean, to say that what orders they carried out and so on, all those things would have to be checked into.”
Ann-Marie Williams
“But Mr. Goldson, how do you know exactly what your signing when you’re signing?”
Philip Goldson
“Well it’s because I have so many things to sign that’s one of the reason I transferred the department. Because more and more things to sign has become necessary and it’s become very great and unyielding.”
Ann-Marie Williams
“How widespread would you say is the corruption in Immigration Department?”
Philip Goldson
“Well I really don’t know because I was not aware of anything…well you notice what has happened, they have moved in and dealt with the department, but only one person so far has been brought before the court. So, I mean, it’s not easy to deal with these things.”
Ann-Marie Williams
“But you do agree there’s corruption?”
Philip Goldson
“I suppose so, I suppose there’s a bit of corruption, I don’t know how widespread it is.”
Ann-Marie Williams
“Do you sign any residency permits? And did you sign the ones in question?”
Philip Goldson
“Well I don’t know which, you see. I don’t sign residency permits?”
Ann-Marie Williams
“You don’t?”
Philip Goldson
“No.”
Ann-Marie Williams
“How come?”
Philip Goldson
“Well they don’t come to me for signature, the permits don’t come to me for signature.”
Ann-Marie Williams
“Who signs them? Your know?”
Philip Goldson
“I suppose they sign them in the department.”
Ann-Marie Williams
“So you didn’t sign the ones in question?”
Philip Goldson
“No. But to say that he received instructions from me, well of course he received many instructions from me. And many of the instructions that he received were in writing and so on…I mean over my signature. But to say that any instructions that he carried were carried out…I mean that any instruction other than what I gave him was not carried out, I don’t know. I have great faith in him and I still have great faith in him, but the way circumstance turn out, that’s the way it is.”
Ann-Marie Williams
“But you don’t have a definite reaction to his statement, where he said that all he did was to follow your orders.”
Philip Goldson
“No, I don’t think it’s necessary to comment on that.”
Ann-Marie Williams
“Or you think he just said that like that?”
Philip Goldson
“No well, as I said, any minister dealing with a department head would have had to convey instructions to him from time to time. And so he probably said it in those sense.”
Ann-Marie Williams
“But he’s actually blaming you.”
Philip Goldson
“Well maybe so. But like I said, better leave it let Mr. Barrow and the Prime Minister deal with it.”
Viewers too young to remember are reminded that Goldson, who died last year, was blind, and had to depend on his advisors to vouch for the validity of every document he signed. Current minister responsible for immigration, Maxwell Samuels, has yet to comment on the unfolding scandal, save for a highly politicised statement at last month’s sitting of the House of Representatives.
