Immigration Minister Addresses Permanent Residence Scandal Involving Chinese Nationals

Eamon Courtenay

A group of Chinese nationals arrived in Belize in mid-January with permanent residency cards, although they had never set foot on Belize soil before that trip.  While they were sent back to their home country, an internal investigation has been launched by the Ministry of Immigration into the falsification of those documents.  Likewise, the Commissioner of Police has been asked to commence a criminal investigation into the matter.  Earlier today, we spoke with Minister of Immigration Eamon Courtenay.

Eamon Courtenay, Minister of Immigration

“There is an active investigation ongoing in relation to fraudulent permanent residence cards that we have discovered, and there are more than nine.  The Commissioner of Police has provided a senior police officer from the CIB.  We have consulted with the Direction of Public Prosecutions who has advised as to what investigations and statements are to be taken and those are being done.  I do not wish to prejudice that investigation, but what I will say is this, I have been shown files where it is clear as day that fraud has been committed, permanent resident cards have been issued fraudulently.  Those that we have seen have been cancelled and it is my expectation that there will be an investigation and a report by the police I will hope that whoever was involved in it will have their day in court.”