Opposition claims Bzean nationality still on sale
But while the petroleum bill passed without contention, during the sitting of the House, Leader of the Opposition Dean Barrow presented what he claims is proof that Belizean nationality is still for sale.
Dean Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
?I accuse based on a report coming out of the Immigration Department from immigration officers and based on the documentation provided. I want to accuse this government, the Immigration Department, as an agency of this government of resuming the illegal sale of permanent residence cards. Madam Speaker, I have here documentation with respect to about eighteen permanent residency cards issued on either the twenty-eighth of July of this year or on the twenty-seventh of July of this year. In every case I have been provided, with the photographs of those to whom the cards have been issued with a picture of the front of the cards making it plain that these are cards that confer permission to reside in Belize. And I?ve also been provided with the details that presumably appear on the back of the cards. Making it plain that in every instance, the date of arrival has been left blank because these are cards that have been sold to people who have not set foot in Belize. There are two aspects to it: naked corruption which is absolutely unforgivable and which shows how recidivist this government is how intractable it is in reforming its ways and secondly the question of our foreign relations and our place in the global system and the fight against terrorism.?
Ralph Fonseca, Belize Rural Central
?The dilemma that we have all faced, and I am sure he faced while he was in government, was that you have people who come to Belize to invest. That come to Belize frequently but do not have work permits. We have been trying to struggle over the last many years to find a system, where we can make these people permanent residents, and also give them a marker if you like so they can eventually apply to be a Belizean. Because you do need to be here five years to be a Belizean. And we have worked through several systems. We have worked through BELTRAIDE, that I know of, to have BELTRAIDE authenticate an individual as a real investor. We have worked with embassies outside of Belize, our embassies, our honorary councils, etc. So we have tried several plans, in order that once the individual comes to Belize and he has demonstrated that he is an investor, or even better made has made an investment that in fact that person can become a permanent resident of Belize.?
?I think all of these so called scandals that they have been spreading all around are beginning to wear thin. They are becoming very diluted. The leader of the opposition, they are becoming so diluted that he has gotten desperate to the point where he is now waving photocopies of something in the air, knowing very well that if he did that in court, the judge would have long sent him back to his law office. Thank you very much.?
