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PUP Calls For Senate Investigation Into Nanes Schnitzer
posted (November 24, 2015)
The PUP has also come out swinging. The opposition released a statement saying, quote, "The People's United Party (PUP) records its deep dis-satisfaction with the handling of the case… by the Ministries of National Security and Immigration and expresses urgent concern with the apparent dereliction of duty by both those Ministries…" end quote.

This evening, Lisa Shoman, the Leader of Opposition Business in the Senate, told us that the Opposition intends to demand answers at the next Senate Meeting:

Lisa Shoman, PUP Senator - Leader of Opposition Business
"The People's United Party as the main Opposition party in this country is deeply concern and very dissatisfied at the way that the David Nanes Schnitzer matter has been handled by the law enforcement authorities in Belize. But more importantly, how it has been handled by the ministries of National Security and Immigration. Consider that 2 weeks ago obviously in conjunction with the US Marshalls Nanes Schnitzer was nabbed and the ministries of National Security and Immigration at that point realize that this international fugitive who was living here under the name of David Banes, obviously had an assumed identity, had a fake name, a fake profile and obviously had obtained by fraud and deception not only permanent residency, but citizenship and a passport. And did they charged him with those things immediately? No. They sat on this matter for almost 2 weeks. Then cancelled on the 18th November the citizenship. Revoked the citizenship. Cancelled his passport on the basis that he had obtained it by fraud and deception and misrepresentation, but obviously they never bothered to take the matter any further. Apparently the DPP's office was not informed or notified to prefer any charges. This man was never charged with the most serious offence that he has committed in Belize which is the complete perversion of our national identity documents."

"The People's United Party is demanding an explanation, but we are also saying that as an Opposition, we will be dealing with this in the upcoming House meeting and we will be bringing a motion again, so that the auditor general helps us to investigate what happened. We also have the power to bring the CEOs of both National Security and Immigration."

Daniel Ortiz
"As just a citizen, instinctively suspect that David Nanes has left the country?"

Lisa Shoman, PUP Senator - Leader of Opposition Business
"I don't know whether he has left the country, but let's put it this way - if the authorities don't know where he is, there is a good chance that he has already left the country. I would have expected even if he was on bail with conditions, there would have been some kind of surveillance on him so that he would not be able to slip. What to me as a citizen is a very low bail amount."

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