Yesterday, 37 year Haitian auto mechanic Sanon Vertus arrived in Belize via the PGIA with the intention that he was going to find work and make more money than what he was getting in Haiti. But instead, he is an inmate Belize Central Prison tonight.
When he arrived at the immigration section of the airport, Officer Eldon August detected that the Belizean visa that Vertus had in his Haitian passport was false. He was immediately detained, and later charged with attempting to use a visa permit not issued by lawful authority.
Vertus was fined $1,000 today by Magistrate Clive Lino and ordered to pay forthwith, in default 6 months after he pleaded guilty to the charge. Vertus was unable to pay the fine, so he was taken to prison.
He broke down in tears while he was in the dock. He asked Magistrate Lino not to send him back to Haiti, but Magistrate Lino told him that he has no choice in the matter. The Immigration Department has indicated that they will apply for a removal order for him to be deported to Haiti after he has either served the 6 months or paid the fine.
We recall that in 2010, three chartered flights - supposedly with Japanese tourists bearing Belizean visas - flew out of Haiti. At the time, no one could say where the visas originated, and with the benefit of hindsight we can assume that in all likelihood they were forgeries. The visitors were whisked away from the airport never to be seen again.
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