Repatriation Process for Displaced Belizean Abroad Commences

The repatriation process for displaced Belizeans overseas to return home is in the making.  Belize has not recorded another positive case for COVID-19 for more than thirty days and the government wants to keep it that way. Government has set up the COVID-19 Controlled Repatriation for Displaced Belizeans Abroad website which is being handled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the guidance of the Ministry of Health and other parties. The first step is for Belizeans wanting to return home to fill out an online application found on the website. On Ask the Experts today, C.E.O. in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Lou-Anne Burns Martinez outlined the application entry. 

Lou-Anne Burns Martinez

Lou-Anne Burns Martinez, C.E.O., Ministry of Foreign Affairs

“The first step in the process and what we are asking anyone one interested in returning home to do and that is whether you were on a cruise ship working and want to return home  whether you are a student abroad or you were travelling for business, or for family or for health reason. Please go to the COVID-19 website. The third tab on the website would be a button that takes you into an application form. We are asking everyone who wants to come home to fly out the application form. It is very important because it allows us to coordinate your return to Belize in the safest, fastest and best manner for you and everyone else here at home. At this time only people who have filled out the applications form and are approved to return and we are calling it a controlled return and we are doing that because we need to ensure that it is done in a sage manner that cost, raises the least possible health risk for those already in Belize or as safe as possible for those seeking to return.  At this time we want to look at those who are most in distress, those who may have economic, health or other particular reasons that they should be priorities to return home. We also have obligations from the health perspective to look at where they are, where they have been in the last twenty one days. We have a number of Belizeans who have already had COVID so they have been tested and they have gotten through it and we are happy that they have gotten well but they want to return home. SO we have to look at a number of factors.”