Motion requesting a Senate Inquiry into passport scandal to be discussed

Lisa Shoman

At the last full meeting of the Senate, Opposition Senator Lisa Shoman made clear her intent to bring a motion requesting a Senate Inquiry into the Immigration scandal. Since then a notice of motion was drafted and discussed with social partners before it was handed in to the Clerk of the National Assembly on Monday. Today, Shoman confirmed to News Five that she has received an official response from the Clerk, which means that the motion will be discussed and debated at the next sitting of the Senate.

Lisa Shoman, Senator, People’s United Party

“The Senate has very specific powers and functions under the constitution and so what you will see is the language taken from the constitution so as to be very careful that we are following it. And it will be specifically to investigate and to look into corruption and wrongdoing, whatever it is, because we have heard the minister responsible for immigration say that there is corruption; that there has been wrongdoing. And we think that the Belizean people has the right to know what is the extent of the corruption and the wrongdoing particularly in a case where public officers are being called out; are being made to look as though they have been acting alone and there is seemingly no one else responsible. My whole view of the matter is that this should not take years like the lat senate investigation, but that it should be an investigation which calls in all responsible parties. I think, we look forward to there being public hearings, but all of this is going to be debated and discussed in the next senate meeting. Of course you will have to ask the minister of immigration and leader of government business in the senate if he intends to participate in that. I think that is a matter for him. But let me say in his position, I wouldn’t. He is the one after all who is being investigated. So were I in his position, I would probably abstain.”

Mike Rudon

“So following that discussion and debate there will be a vote?”

Lisa Shoman

“There will be a vote, and I will be asking for a division because I think Belizeans deserve to know which of their senators is willing for us to have an investigation and which does not. This is something that Belizeans have been calling for and in light of the fact that it doesn’t seem that we will get any details from the police as to their investigation and it doesn’t seem as though either the minister or the prime minister will speak as to what they have found. And we don’t know what the internal investigation has found. This may be the only way for Belizeans to ever know the extent or some of the extent of what has been happening in immigration with relation to nationality, to passports and to visas.”

A House of Representatives meeting has been scheduled for Friday. The Senate meets next Wednesday.