Sedi Says No Need for Alarm on Belizeans Abroad and Naturalized Guatemalans Re-registering
Wilfred ‘Sedi’ Elrington
The national re-registration exercise is in its third day, with centers being established countrywide. The exercise takes place ahead of next year’s I.C.J. referendum and the upcoming general elections. Prior to the start of the activity on Monday, there have been questions concerning the status of Guatemalan nationals who are naturalized Belizeans. Likewise, the issue of Belizeans in the diaspora has also been raised in the public discourse. Both matters, says Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington, are fairly straightforward and will be handled efficiently by the Elections and Boundaries Department.
Wilfred Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs
“As far as I am aware, the persons who will be permitted to vote are those persons who demonstrate that they are Belizeans citizens. Now if there are Guatemalans who have gotten Belizean citizenship and those people go to register, it is not my understanding that the registration people will be able to do anything about them because they would qualify to register. If other people are able to do anything about them by going to the courts, that’s a matter that’s up in the air. I don’t know whether they are detaining themselves with that and I am certainly not detaining myself with that sort of idea. Fortunately for me, very, very few people, if any, would have been nationalized to vote in the Pickstock Division last election because of the demography of Pickstock. It’s not an issue that I have been confronted with in Pickstock, so it’s not a matter that is bothering me at all.”
Isani Cayetano
“In respect of the Belizeans in the Diaspora and how they go about fitting into this re-registration process, your comments or your views?”
Wilfred Elrington
“The Belizeans and the Diaspora situation is even simpler. Under our law, any Belizean living in any part of the world can come and get registered here. All that is asked of them is that they be resident here two months before the registration process. Those who are prepared to make that sacrifice fine, but there is nothing to stop them and it is not really a big issue. I will go further, Isani, to say that I am not aware that if in fact they were to come in and go in and register, anybody would go and verify whether or not they have been here for two months or three months or four months. So I don’t see it as a big issue.”
Let me see if I understand what Uncle Remus is saying. The Guats are no problem to HIM because none live in his constituency (guess not, they can’t afford to). And for the diaspora, “Dis da Belize”, nobody is going to check to see if they have resided here as required. What kind of ignorant BS is this?
This is absolutely prosperous, and I hope that Belizeans living abroad remember this degrading insult by this party in power. Whenever there is an election in Mexico or countries in the Latin America, you will always see long lines outside their embassy or consulates in the US. It seems that the Belizean government has never heard of absente ballots. Whenever they need our support they come hat in hand, telling us all this nonsense about wanting our support here in the US.
We are Belizean born, lived in, send money to, and own property in Belize, but cannot vote for all intents and purposes in something as important as this nation sovereignty.
Who can afford to lose their jobs to come and live in Belize for 2 months? We can go to the nearest consulate office and register. After a verification period of time, be notified by email as to your status.
That is accommodating your constituency Mr. Elrington.