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Last Thursday, the nation learned that Belize would become the home of former Guantanamo Bay Detainee Majid Khan. The forty-two-year-old arrived in Belize that day, where he was locked up for two decades. Khan was held for his involvement in terrorist activities, including meeting with Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who was a co-conspirator of the nine-one-one […]
Written on February 6, 2023 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Former Minister of National Security John Saldivar says No to Khan
Today the government announced that Belize will be hosting the Cuban President for an official visit. His Excellency Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez, the First Secretary of the Cuban Communist Party and President of the Republic of Cuba, will arrive in Belize on Sunday, February twelfth. President Diaz Canel was elected in 2018 and is the first […]
Written on February 6, 2023 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez Scheduled to Make Official Visit to Belize
Patrick Faber, the Area Representative for Collet, has taken a different position from his party leader on Majid Khan’s relocation to Belize. On the adjournment of today’s House Meeting, Faber rose to caution his colleagues in parliament of possible national security threats that may arise from this decision. Patrick Faber, Area Representative, Collet “First […]
Written on February 3, 2023 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Patrick Faber Raises Caution Over Majid Khan’s Relocation to Belize
A forty-two-year-old Pakistani national arrived at the P.G.I.A. earlier today and was met by the Minister of Foreign Affairs. That individual had spent half of his life thus far, locked up in a military prison within the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, a controversial detention facility that will be closed in the months ahead. So who […]
Written on February 2, 2023 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Gitmo Detainee Majid Khan to Resettle in Belize, 20 Years Later
According to Foreign Minister Courtenay, Khan is being given a second chance at starting his life over after years of abuse and torture while in detention. Khan arrived in Belize this morning as a free man and the initial expenses regarding his resettlement are being covered by the United States government. Eamon Courtenay, Minister […]
Written on February 2, 2023 | Posted in
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Comments Off on U.S. Government to Foot Majid Khan’s Resettlement Expenses
The initial request was for Belize to consider as many as three detainees from Guantanamo Bay, but on the recommendation of the National Security Advisor, Cabinet only agreed on one individual. According to Tina Kaidanow, the hope is that Khan would be able to fully assimilate into Belizean society and become a productive citizen. Khan’s […]
Written on February 2, 2023 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Will Belizeans Accept Majid Khan Despite his Past?
A group of Chinese nationals arrived in Belize in mid-January with permanent residency cards, although they had never set foot on Belize soil before that trip. While they were sent back to their home country, an internal investigation has been launched by the Ministry of Immigration into the falsification of those documents. Likewise, the Commissioner […]
Written on February 2, 2023 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Immigration Minister Addresses Permanent Residence Scandal Involving Chinese Nationals
According to Minister Courtenay, it was observed that a number of persons were arriving to Belize from an area of mainland China that local authorities from the Immigration Department were not familiar with. It immediately raised a red flag. Courtenay says that he is disappointed with the situation considering the efforts that have been made […]
Written on February 2, 2023 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Immigration Minister is Disappointed in Permanent Residence Hustle
As for the delay in the issuance of new passports, Minister Courtenay explained the issue that arose out of the orders that were initially made for new travel documents around the time that a new passport system had been implemented. Eamon Courtenay, Minister of Immigration “We did an assessment of the amount of passports […]
Written on February 2, 2023 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Immigration Minister Explains Passport Hiccup
And, given the Dominican Republic’s geographic location to Haiti, we asked Foreign Minister Alvarez about the migration challenges his country is facing. The migration flow out of a severely impoverished Haiti has become a growing regional issue. Minister Alvarez offered some insight into how other Central American and Caribbean can address this issue, given his […]
Written on February 1, 2023 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Migration Flow Out of Haiti a Regional Issue, Dominican Republic Greatly Affected
There are less than four weeks to go before the three-month extension period for the amnesty program expires and the folks at the helm of that project have been busy holding hubs in various parts of the country where the migrant population is high. This past weekend, hubs were held in Belize City and Ladyville […]
Written on January 30, 2023 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Amnesty Project Revisits Belize District as Application Period Winds Down
Aside from the assistance that UNICEF provides the migrants in their application process, the organization also supports the communities where these migrants and refugees live. UNICEF’s Country Representative, Alison Parker shared that much of the work takes place behind the scenes. Alison Parker, UNICEF Representative in Belize “Other than the hubs, we are also […]
Written on January 30, 2023 | Posted in
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Comments Off on UNICEF Supports Host Communities of Irregular Migrants
And, police is preparing to launch an investigation into happenings at the Immigration Department, following reports that at least nine Chinese nationals recently entered the country with Belizean documents that displayed a number of irregularities. We heard from both the Minister of Home Affairs and the Commissioner of Police on this matter. Kareem Musa, […]
Written on January 27, 2023 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Did Chinese Nationals Attempt to Enter Belize with Irregular Belizean Permanent Residency Documents?
Belize has become a migration point for Haitian nationals who are intent on entering the U.S. The influx of these CARICOM citizens has caused the Immigration Department to become more vigilant. But, it is also placing a strain on the services of the Belize Police Department. Earlier this week, Minister of Home Affairs Kareem Musa […]
Written on January 27, 2023 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Influx of Haitian Nationals to Belize Strain Local Law Enforcement Services
A group of ten Haitians was officially allowed to enter the country today after they were flagged by immigration officers at the Philip Goldson International Airport. They entered the country on Monday night, via a Tropic Air international flight, and were taken into custody until this morning when they were processed and released. Among the […]
Written on December 27, 2022 | Posted in
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Regional / International |
Comments Off on Haitian Nationals Detained Overnight, Allowed to Enter Belize
On Thursday, Guatemala submitted its memorial in the territorial, insular and maritime claim against Belize to the International Court of Justice. Guatemala’s Foreign Minister Mario Adolfo Bucaro Flores, accompanied by an agent, as well as a co-agent presented the reply and its annexes supporting the allegations of facts and law. According to a release issued […]
Written on December 9, 2022 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Guatemala Submits Memorial to I.C.J. in Territorial Claim
Earlier this week, U.S. fugitive Aldrick Scott was detained in Caye Caulker and handed over to U.S law enforcement. He is now being held in custody, but Scott is wanted in connection with the disappearance and possible murder of his girlfriend, Cari Allen, a resident of Nebraska. Allen remains missing tonight and reports are that […]
Written on December 9, 2022 | Posted in
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People & Places |
Comments Off on U.S. Fugitive, Caught in Caye Caulker, Handed over to U.S. Authorities
Has cabinet reversed any policy as it relates to Haitian nationals being permitted to enter Belize? While it is something that is on the radar for policymakers, today, during an interview with Minister Kareem Musa, he says that a decision has not yet been made on that issue. Kareem Musa, Cabinet Minister “In terms […]
Written on December 9, 2022 | Posted in
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People & Places |
Comments Off on Has Visa Policy Changed for Haitian Nationals to Belize?
The last United States ambassador assigned to Belize demitted office in 2016 when the Trump administration took over the White House. Today, there’s a new diplomatic representative at the U.S. Embassy in Belmopan. Ambassador Michelle Kwan has presented her letters of credence to Governor-General, Dame Froyla Tzalam at Belize House. Kwan was confirmed as the […]
Written on December 5, 2022 | Posted in
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Comments Off on U.S. Ambassador to Belize, Michelle Kwan Presents Her Credentials
The government announced, following its November twenty-ninth Cabinet meeting that it had decided to approve a three-month extension to the current amnesty program. This gives irregular migrants who want to remain in Belize additional time to register and apply to do so. The program closed at the end of November, but the government saw the […]
Written on December 2, 2022 | Posted in
Environment,
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People & Places |
Comments Off on International Organizations Welcome Government’s Extension of Amnesty Program
It caused quite a stir in the upper house a few weeks ago, when the Leader of Government Business introduced a motion to include Honduras’ claim over the Sapodilla Cayes as part of Belize’s case that has been lodged at the International Court of Justice. The proposal put forward by Senator Eamon Courtenay was met […]
Written on November 17, 2022 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Belize Takes Honduras to World Court Over Sapodilla Cayes
It’s been running for slightly over three months since it was opened on August second after the Emancipation holiday, but the deadline for the 2022 Amnesty Program is about to come to its cut off point. This coming Saturday, November nineteenth has been chosen as that final date, when for the second consecutive weekend, Dolores […]
Written on November 14, 2022 | Posted in
Economy,
Foreign Affairs,
People & Places |
Comments Off on Amnesty Hubs Wrapping Up As Deadline for Applications Approaches
As we have reported, the opposition is calling for a referendum on Belize’s accession to Pact Bogota. Prime Minister John Briceño says that to hold a referendum on Pact Bogota would be a waste of time and money. In responding to the Opposition’s call for a referendum, P.M. Briceño noted that the matter was already […]
Written on October 28, 2022 | Posted in
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Comments Off on P.M. Says Referendum on Pact Bogota would be a Waste of Time and Money
A fiery debate topped the Senate’s agenda today on the Belize-Guatemala dispute. It happened when Senator Eamon Courtenay presented a Motion for Belize to accede to the Treaty of Bogota, to which Honduras is a signatory. The treaty stipulates for a general obligation on the signatories to settle their disputes through peaceful means and also […]
Written on October 24, 2022 | Posted in
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Comments Off on Motion Presented in Senate to Include Honduras Claim as Part of I.C.J.Case
After a year and a half of planning and carefully coordinating with a team of designers and technology experts from various departments across the Government of Belize, the Briceño administration has introduced a new passport. The travel document, along with a new electronic passport issuance and control system, succeeds an older, antiquated process that was […]
Written on October 24, 2022 | Posted in
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Comments Off on A New Belizean Passport is Formally Introduced
