Minister of Police admits to facilitating visas, but in a minimal way
John Saldivar
Minister of State Edmond Castro first denied that he knew anything about Chinese visa. Later he said he had made one recommendation. And this week, Castro says he admitted that he wrote to the Immigration Department recommending five visas for Chinese nationals. Other U.D.P. ministers have said that this is something they do for their constituents. Even Minister of Police, John Saldivar, says he does it, in a minimal way. But what exactly is it that these ministers do? How is it that ministers have gotten to the point where they can influence the issuing of Belizean visas, and readily admit doing so? Does this influence allow the fast-tracking of visas, as it is alleged Minister of State Castro facilitated? Does a minister’s intervention indicate that visa requirements or vetting protocols should be bypassed? These are all questions being asked since allegations surfaced that Minister Castro was paid two thousand dollars each to intervene in the visa granting process. Today, News Five spoke to Minister of Police John Saldivar, who two weeks ago admitted that he has facilitated visas in a minimal way. He told us that he does it via phone, not by writing letters. He explained how he gets involved.
John Saldivar, Minister of National Security
“In terms of persons wanting intervention. I think that has been explained over and over in the press that area representatives are called upon by their constituents to give recommendations for various government services and we do that in the normal course of things and I will repeat since you may not have gotten that memo…I am not in any way involved in any, any visa scam.”
Reporter
“But a legitimate visa in the normal course wouldn’t need a recommendation per se…a covering letter from a minister – even a generic covering letter…”
John Saldivar
“I have never issued any letter. I have simply called at times to try and see the process through but that’s about it. I have never written any letter. That has never occurred with me.”
Reporter
“It’s an ugly question but it has to be asked in the current climate. Is this a service that elected representatives offer…that I’ll make a call in consideration not for an inducement but perhaps I need some financing for a summer camp or campaign financing or…”
John Saldivar
“No man…loaded question Jules. Obviously not man, that’s not how we operate. We do service for our constituents and we don’t charge any money for the service that we do.”
“We do service for our constituents and we don’t charge any money for the service that we do.”
They just give us money voluntarily, as a gift of appreciation.
They love us and we can’t give the money back.
We are all solid criminals, preferably elected, that is how you get on the crimbinet.
Honorable Penner was doing what we have done for years.
The boy was ambitious to get on crimbinet’s inner circle, just a small problem with Kim Wangdoodle.
He should have consulted with senior criminals when selling a passport to a brother in foreign prison.
He heard nothing and knew nothing about visa scam. Then he might have done a few, but now he don’t write letter but make a call to help out his constituents. Jules really know how to probe and sneak it in mildly. They are all sharing the hustling pie! No legitimate visa under the normal course would need a recommendation per se…a covering letter from a minister – even a generic covering letter, or even a call…” Those calls are supposed to be recorded at BTL, so let get from BTL how much calls were made to sis.
Oh do we need help. The whole government is corrupt. How many more crabs are hiding under rocks. More and more of these people are deciding that it is better to come forth and tell on themselves before someone else hang them out.
It seems to me that there is no one in the country that can be trusted. To keep votes they will sell out their country. This is a total world disgrace. How these men can go abroad and represent the country is beyond me, they should hang their heads in shame, but wait they have no shame.
The people of Belize better wake up and demand changes or they will become strangers in their own country.
What is “minimal?” What do they do that can be classified as minimal intervention? How does this compare to maximum intervention? Why are they even intervening at all?
When the prime minister does it, it is not a crime.
When the ministers do what the prime minister does, it is not a crime.
When the minister of police investigates it, it is not a crime investigation, it is like the assistant coach helping the team.
How the heck can any of this bewe good? These guys should be so ashame that like Castro they should not show their faces to the public anymore. better yet like the chiny bwai he just never come back.