In the past month - Cubans have been much in the news - and for all the wrong reasons. Since July 6th, we've reported on 23 Cubans without papers caught in transit through Belize. In each case, they were charged for illegal entry. But, anyone with knowledge of how these things work will know that there is more at play here, much more. Instead of being offenders, these Cubans are likely also victims - of human trafficking - who are trying to get north to the USA. But, in Belize, the system is unresponsive and these victims are further victimized by being criminally charged. Today we asked the Immigration Minister about it - and he said - there's not much more they can do:..
Hon. Godwin Hulse, Minister of Immigration
"We are dealing with it as best we can and yes we recognize they are victims of human trafficking but as i said all that can be done is when we find that as we try to arrest the persons concern and they lay charges against them."
Courtney Weatherburne
"For example the 4 cases yesterday that we reported on, four were charged, four men were charged with illegal entry. Is there any more details you can speak about that and how we are dealing with that?"
Hon. Godwin Hulse, Minister of Immigration
"I don't have any more details. The department is working at it feverishly. The director keeps me informed up to date. we are looking beyond the 4 person who were charged, they are the victims and we are looking at the perpetrators because that is where we hope to catch and we can catch the perpetrators, there is rules of evidence in our country, we have a legal system that you have to prove your point and that sometimes becomes a difficult thing. It's not necessarily who's in a van driving or who.. So that is the challenge we face but that is where we are working. It's like woodlice. you find a nest and you killed them and them it breaks out somewhere else because those who engaged in this type of activities are very lucrative and they will find ways to do it and unfortunately not all of our people and even in our departments have that integrity and that dignity to say no. the dollar bill rules the world and lots of people fall victim to it, turning a blind eye, not saying anything. So it's a difficult task but i can assure you the director, the CEO and the good people in immigration who are on this matter are doing their best. Were they not doing their best would never had caught these people and you'd never have heard about them."
Credible reports tell us that in fact there have been a flood of Latin American and Cubans caught coming into Belize through the west recently - and video seen by police on one of the Cuban's phones suggests that there is a mass holding area for them in Melchor. From there they are released, and sent eventually to Orange Walk - which is the launching ground for their journey north. At least 19 Cubans were caught in Orange Walk last month.
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