Should There be a Distinction for Border Jumpers?

John Briceño

While harsh laws have been brought into force to thwart border jumping, the opposition is calling for a distinction between persons who are purchasing contraband items and persons who are purposely going across into Mexico and Guatemala to bring across uncustommed goods into Belize.  There has been a significant number of cases in Orange Walk and Corozal that are related to border jumpers, as well as the sale of contraband goods on the local market.  Opposition Leader John Briceño weighed in on the matter in today’s sitting of the house.

John Briceño, Leader of the Opposition

“I would like to recommend, Prime Minister, can we make a definition between the person that buys the contraband goods to sell than to an individual who buys five pounds of flour?  Maybe that can prevent what we are talking about innocent people buying a lee bit of groceries, as opposed to a small store that is buying a few stocks of flour or a few cases of the food stuff that the border jumpers are bringing across.  So maybe we could make that distinction, maybe that would solve the issue where innocent persons will be buying, you know, wahn two can ah fried beans and they will say, oh that is contraband, and this person can spend some time in jail.  I think everybody understands why it’s so necessary to control the border jumper, they are endangering us and we see it every time, both in Corozal and Orange Walk districts and certainly it’s happening down south and in the west.  So we do see an importance to enacting some sort of law to be able to control these persons.”