And that wasn't the only immigration matter raised on the adjournment. New member Kareem Musa spoke about the case of the fugitive David Nanes Schnitzer who - through fraudulent means - became Belizean David Banes, possessor of every kind of Belizean identity document, right down to a voter's ID Card. His case has been extensively documented in the media - but Musa focused on the criminal charge he was held on. Police charged him for uttering upon a false driver's license. Musa asked why didn't the government bring a charge against him for the more serious offence of fraudulently obtaining a passport:
Hon. Kareem Musa, Caribbean Shores Area Rep.
"So what I am saying Mr. Speaker is that the government had a fair opportunity before the 20th November to make a criminal complaint. All I am asking is whether one was made by the government in relation to this fraud. This is not about any driver's license. This is fraud obtaining a passport. So all I am asking and anybody on that side can be free to clarify whether a criminal complaint was made. That is all I am asking. Mr. Speaker, this case the David Schnitzer has demonstrated to the world that there not just collusion as the Prime Minister said in an interview, but there is the other "C" word that the Prime Minister seems to be skirting around. The other big "C" being corruption. Multi-layered corruption Mr. Prime Minister from top to bottom."
Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"Acknowledging that you are correct in pointing out to a long history of corruption in the Immigration Department. It's the only reason why I do not say next time you do that start with your father. I will say again that I greatly regret what has happened. I certainly can't answer his queries about the charges that the police brought or did not bring. There is something as a consequence of his raising the issue that I would like to clarify. The advice was that the extradition treaty with Mexico had never been incorporated into our municipal law and for that reason there was the inability to proceed with honoring the Mexican request for extradition. The Mexicans has sent us a note pointing out that in fact the extradition treaty that was signed very many years ago. As a matter of fact they now show that I was the minister of foreign affairs at that time. I really been around too long you know. This was way back in - not quite as long as you. But and so they are at a loss to understand (the Mexicans) why we couldn't act on a treaty that in fact had been ratified and as far as they know and as far as they assert, was enforced. I've ask the attorney general's ministry to do a relook at the situation. But the position seems to be that even though as a matter of international relations, once the treaty was ratified it did take effect as between the two countries. Something more was necessary by way of this incorporation into municipal law in order for the state of Belize to have been able to proceed under the terms of the extradition treaty."
Later you'll hear just how angry the Mexicans are at the government of Belize for letting Nanes Schnitzer give them the slip - and we'll ask the Prime Minister if police really are looking for him.
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