Where Will Migrants Hubs Go Next?

We reported that the amnesty application program has been extended for another three months. This means that the International Office for Migration, I.O.M, will be conducting migrant hubs in rural communities again for the benefit of those irregular migrants who did not get a chance or who now want to apply in this extension period to regularize their status. Before the extension, a little over ten thousand persons had applied to have their status regularized.  We took the opportunity on Saturday while with spoke with I.O.M’s Head of Office in Belize, Diana Locke to ask where the hubs will go next.

Diana Locke

Diana Locke, Head of I.O.M, Belize

“We will cross-check who we’ve seen, whether or not they’ve submitted applications and for those people that we’ve identified that we’ve seen that have not gone in to submit applications, we’re going to be targeting those people to come to find out why and help them to get their application in, and we’re also looking for new people. Our aim right now, we’ve identified six weekends out of eight that we will be doing this. We’re hoping to start on January sixth. I don’t have a budget yet, but we’ve put a budget forward and I’m sure the money will come, it usually does, it did the last time. So we’re going to be starting on the sixth of January going into – I think we’re looking at the Cayo District as the first place to go, where we’re going to be doing targeted we cover thirty-two persons. We’re hoping to go back into the village of Trio…we can get the numbers to fifteen thousand.”