Crisis in Citrus: Undocumented Workers Detained
Jose Abelardo Mai
Some thirty-eight undocumented workers from the citrus belt in the south are tonight in custody. The laborers, who are from Central America, have been working in the industry which is in a critical state and some say is on the brink of collapsing. The situation is complex as it includes issues of imported labor and their improper documentation and the survival of the citrus industry. Minister of Agriculture Jose Abelardo Mai says that his ministry is looking into the situation.
Jose Abelardo Mai, Minister of Agriculture, Food Security & Enterprise
“We inherited an industry which is really in I.C.U. We invested right now or we are ready to invest fifteen million dollars, which was procured from the DFC to rehabilitate farms. The problem we are having is labor; that we have to import labor. That is a sad thing when there are people saying that there are no jobs and we have to import labor. Very, very sad; very, very sad. The Department of Immigration is trying to work that out. The situation with the thirty-five persons I cannot discuss that because I am not the minister in that department and I don’t want to go down that way, but we are going to solve that problem. That is what our government does. This government solves problems.”
Reporter
“How will you solve the labor issues though? If Belizeans don’t want to pick oranges and already these farmers aren’t harvesting the amount that they used to.”
Jose Abelardo Mai
“Well in that case then we have to import labor, but it has to be done the proper way. We cannot have children laboring in the fields. And not only citrus, in the sugar cane industry too because you know that there are conventions against child labor and so on and we are signatories to these conventions and we must abide by them. Not only citrus; banana, sugar up north. But we do have a problem with the availability of labor in the country and it is a sad thing.”
Reporter
“Reports are that you and some other high government officials made some calls to have these undocumented immigrants released from custody.”
Jose Abelardo Mai
“Our calls were made to ensure that we are doing the right things. Taking into consideration that we are losing fruits right now that the calls were made for us to do the right things, to do proper investigation. Not to release anybody who is guilty of wrongdoings, but to do proper investigation before we accuse anybody. Many times we accuse people without the proper evidence so our call was to ensure that due diligence is done and whoever is liable has to be liable.”
