Leader of Opposition says allegations by whistleblower is serious

Francis Fonseca

The overwhelming revelation of the visa hustle and the passport scandal over the past month and a half has landed a big black eye on the current U.D.P. Administration. Ministers of government are being accused of facilitating the process that sees foreign nationals acquiring Belizean birthrights such as passports and the like without going through any process at all. The recent naming of Minister Edmund “Clear the Land” Castro by whistleblower, Alverine Burgess, and his alleged involvement in the hustling ring has brought to the forefront questions of ministerial misconduct. On Thursday, News Five spoke with Leader of the Opposition, Francis Fonseca, who says that there is nothing regular about what is being alleged by Burgess.

Francis Fonseca, P.U.P. Leader

“Based on my experience and my knowledge, it is not something regular; it is not something that is done on an ordinary basis. And please, what this lady is alleging goes far beyond any ministerial recommendation or recommendation by a notary public or a justice of the peace or a teacher as required. She is alleging that she paid the minister of state, Mister Castro, money. She paid him money to facilitate the issuance of these visas. So this goes far beyond any recommendation. What she is alleging is that there was corruption involved in processing these visas and that Mister Castro was at the center of that corruption; that is her allegation.”