P.M. personally checks Immigration files to prove Castro’s innocence
Dean Barrow
Prime Minister Dean Barrow left the country on Sunday to undergo surgery in Los Angeles for which we wish him a speedy recovery. But before leaving, he strenuously defended his Minister of State Edmund ‘Clear the Land’ Castro. Castro is alleged to have received money to facilitate visas for Chinese nationals between October 2012 and April 2013. The PM fired Castro in 2010 for his part in a land scam, and then reinstated him in 2012. But things are certainly different now. The U.D.P. holds on to a razor thin margin in the House, and with Penner’s fall from grace, Castro is suddenly worth ten times his weight in political gold especially since the allegations came on the heels of the P.M.’s that if anything can make the government fall, it is the visa hustle. During the House Meeting on Friday, the P.M. climbed onto a thin limb when he stated that he has personally checked the files at the Immigration Department to determine Minister of State Castro’s innocence.
Prime Minister Dean Barrow
“The Minister of State has filed suit, or if the suit itself has not been filed the letter before action has been filed, and the Minister of Immigration and I checked the files to see if there was any time at which any two hundred visas were issued and there is absolutely no record whatsoever of that.”
There are several interesting points coming out of the P.M.’s statement. For one, it is highly irregular that in the face of serious criminal allegations against a U.D.P. Minister, the alleged evidence is checked by the P.M. and a minister. Secondly, the P.M. makes mention of ‘no point in time when two hundred visas were issued on Castro’s recommendation.’ But the allegation is very clear that Castro facilitated these visas over a period of six months, not all at one time. Thirdly, Castro’s attorney has indeed filed a lawsuit against Channel Five. He is being represented by Prime Minister Dean Barrow’s law firm. As we’ve stated time and time again, there are many interesting connections to ponder within the U.D.P. immigration scandal. Here’s another one. In the affidavit signed by the informant who blew the whistle on Castro, she names the contact who would give her documents and money to deliver to Edmund Castro. The man named by the informant is a sergeant in the Police Department, and News Five has confirmed that he is the related to former Minister of State Elvin Penner.
And we are supposed to believe this thieving corrupt pm and gov. You must the joke you have truly lost your mind judas.
Barrow, the ultimate Judge Jury & Executioner…..The UDP can do no wrong!
How can you investigate yourself. I believe the PM knows that there is evidence that can sink Castro . so he wants to be able to hide everything and give him a clean bill of health.
This PM is still up to no good.
Keep the pressure on Channel 5. It is because of the media now a days that we can NOW see corruption in the open. Him getting medical treatment while that may be true, is way too convenient as he will be away from Belize and is hoping that by the time he comes back…we will have lost interest. Hopefully we can keep the pressure on and continue to demand answers…remember….we the people employ and elect them…they all need to answer to US!!!
Barrow has no credibility whatsoever. Belize has dropped near the bottom of the pile of countries when it comes to ease of business and transparency. Look at Guatemala, Honduras, El salvador, they have all passed Belize. Barrow must have a sore back from carrying all his ill gotten money to the States.
Of course nothing is there now to find. They have already burned, shredded or hide evidence to one day resort to blackmail if necessary. Who expected anything else? I also thought all the while, that it was police intelligence that investigates all suspected crimes. Just goes to show the confidence the Prime Minister have in their skills.
it is reassuring that document destruction is on schedule, and that Deano sees no evidence.
the foxes report the henhouse is in good working order.
back to sleep Belize, your massers need to get back to business.
Add some credibility to the investigation! You looking at the books prooves nothing! He is from your team, let an independent do the looking and prying. I am sure the results would be different. Castro is a crook and you know it but if he goes so does your majority and you do not want to lose control so you lie and cover up the crap he did. I just hope that one day we will have people with integrity leading our country. It’s a shame!
Mr. Prime Minister where is your sense of justice, dignity, and integrity? Almost a month after this scandal broke loose re, corruption in the GOB, re passports,visas etc. etc., you have finally decided that you will check the records/file to ensure that your corrupt minister have cleaned up their act. Imagine the possibilities, after they have destroyed most of the evidence now you are now trying to prove their innocence? Whom do you think you are fooling? For God sake please stop insulting our intelligence
Lets remember the past:
1. The PM stole BTL from its owners. When you take something that was paid for and developed by someone else without paying, it must be stealing.
2.The man PM stole BEL from its owners, not a sent paid yet!
3. the PM stole the Port, need we go on.
He asked the people to cheer when he stole BTL saying its for us now, and some people not understanding what the man had done cheered. We must have all looked like thieves in the eyes of the world. Aren’t we a shameless bunch, including the media, because they said nothing negative when all this was going on. Can we expect anything different when his ministers are caught with their hands in the cookie jar? I guess not! Bad things will always prevail when good people chose to do nothing.
Thanks to Channel 5 for airing the views of its readers. I have said over and over again that if Penner and Castro wrote reccommendations for visas, its no big deal. Smoke and mirrors. Visas are free; if one applies and can prove that they can sustain themselves when visiting Belize, they are granted a visa. If some people are deceived that they need to pay thousands of dollars for a visa then they are fools. Secondly, Penner and Castro, if they indeed were paid money for “recommendations”, they should be hailed as modern day “robin hoods” stealing from the rich to give to the poor, as oppososed to the opposition who stole from the poor to enrich themselves. Social security money belonged to the people, Gifts from Chavez was for the poor. But men like courtney, Ralph, Musa et al stole it and enriched themselves. I know personally of school uniforms, school fees, turkey and ham and housing for the poor that was paid for by visa hustle. So. like Pontius Pilate, whose blood are you calling for Barabas or Castro. Christmas di come. Remember when you are sitting at the table where the ham and turkey come from and who pay for it.
Visas are free!! Castro and Penner should be lauded if they indeed hustled money by “writing recommendations”. Modern day “robin Hoods”, I declare. Unlike the opposition who stole social security money and gifts from Chavez to build homes for the poor, Castro and Penner give their hustling to the poor.. Man like courtney, Ralph, Musa et al enriched themselves with poor people money. Krismas di come poor people, remember when you lines up for your turkey and ham da probably visa moni di pay for it. Smoke and mirrors. Dont let them fool you. I would write thoousans of recommendations fi feed unu and house unu. keep calm and carry on.
The PM said, we check the files to see if there was at any time, at which any two hundred visas were issued and there is absolutely no record whatsoever of that.” Yes we know that this was done over a period of time, and that at no time did the minister recommend 200 visas, but we only said that to confuse the people. Many of them don’t know that, and they will believe us when we say that at no time was 200 visas recommended by Castro, which is true, but the people are not smart enough to know that if you add it up over time, that yes it will add to maybe over 200!
You see how easily we can trick them!