Ordinary Belizeans weigh in on whether Elvin Penner should be criminal charged

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Barrow threw Elvin Penner under the bus and asked him to resign as area representative and from the United Democratic Party. The Prime Minister’s decision came after further evidence surfaced over the past weekend that Penner was involved in the issuance of more nationality certificates and passports. Today, we canvassed ordinary Belizeans for their take on whether Penner should be subjected to a criminal investigation. Here’s what the thinking is.

Resident 1

“What he did was just not right. Anybody else who would have done that would have been prosecuted too. So why should he be above anybody else.”

Reporter

“So you support that a criminal investigation should be done against him?”

Resident 1

“Yes one hundred percent.”

Reporter

“Allegations are that he signed a lot of other documents that people got, over two hundred. Now would you say that those documents shouldn’t be legal because he didn’t have the authority to write on them?”

Resident 1

“Of course, they should never be legal.”

Resident 2

Resident

“If you want to criminalize anybody, criminalize the blue along with the red…both parties then.”

Reporter

“They are asking for Elvin Penner resign. You think he should resign?”

Resident 2

“He was elected by the people; it is the people I think should do that…nobody else.”

Reporter

“Now they say that a lot of the documents were signed—nationality certificates and passports. You think those should get canceled because they were signed illegally?”

Resident 2

“Well I noh know about that because I noh see no proof of it.”

Resident 3

“Yes there have to be a criminal investigation because otherwise dehn put it as we Belizeans have to pay for a passport so why he wah get it when he noh even deh dah Belize…he deh somewhere farther than yah…so it has to be something because dah something bad ih do. So dehn should investigate it likewise because if dah mi poor people do something right away dehn mi wah get on their case. No because dehn got money dehn should make it fly like that. Have to be.”

Reporter

“Do you think that Mister Kim Wonhong’s passport as well as those others weh dehn say Penner signed on illegally that those should be canceled, voided?”

Resident 3

“All of those should be voided because dehn noh deh dah Belize yah on a whole. We Belizeans noh have that choice to move around how we want. Dehn turn us around all the time to get things like that. so all those supposed to be voided; those noh even supposed to value nothing dah fi we country.”

Reporter

“You think Penner should resign as area rep?”

Resident 3

“Ih should because ih done do fool. Ih should.”

Resident 4

“So much things have been happening in the past, I think we need a change and I think somebody needs to be responsible for what they are doing and stop that. We need to stop what we used to do before…let it go, let it pass, let it go.”

Reporter

“They are saying it is illegal. So do you think that all those others that may come under question—that they got it illegally—should those be null and void?”

Resident 4

“No I noh think so.”

Reporter

“Do you think that Penner should step down?”

Resident 4

“I think so too. I think he should step down, should resign and give somebody a chance to do a better job and be more responsible and honest.”

Resident 5

“Minister dah minister, citizen dah citizen, criminal dah criminal. I think yes he should be charged even if minister Penner steps down, he should still face criminal charges as well.”

Reporter

“They are saying that if he illegally signed on nationality documents, passports, etc, do you think that these things should be voided because they people got these things illegally?”

Resident 5

“Not because somebody serve as minister for one or two terms means dehn should just step down and just off like that. Court, charges; he did a criminal act so he should be charged for it as well you know.”

Reporter

“Should he resign as minister for Cayo Northeast?”

Resident 5

“Well me, I think yes, but the people of Cayo North got him there so they should get him out as well you know.”

A number of other persons gave their views saying they support a criminal investigation, but wouldn’t come on camera because they fear victimization.