7 News Belize

Refugee Remix
posted (May 12, 2016)
On Monday, we showed you our interview Minister of State with responsibility for Immigration, Beverly Castillo about the refugee program, which had been taking place mostly without the knowledge of the general public.

Well, to try and fend off persistent questions about the level of transparency in that program, the Government of Belize released a statement on Tuesday. It says that the Refugee Eligibility Committee, chaired by Director Maria Marin, and it is made of up of members from the Belize Council of Churches, the NTUCB, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, a representative of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, the Ministry of Human Development, The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a representative of the Solicitor General, and a representative of the Commissioner of Police.

The Government says that the Refugee Committee was reactivated in June of 2015 after several years of dormancy. They add that since reactivation, the committee has held 5 meetings to consider applications for asylum from persons fleeing from persecution, especially gang violence in their home countries.

According to the Government statement, the Refugee Committee has vetted and recommended 92 applications, and these have been submitted to Minister of State Castillo. She told us that she has the final decision to grant the status of Refugee or not, but she said that up until last week Thursday, she had not approved any. Government's statement says that she has reviewed 40 files.

As you will remember, she told us that the Committee has received over 700 applications - and counting - so that means that the committee still has to review over 600 more.

The Government adds that after the Help for Progress personnel conducts the initial interview for persons applying. That would explain the daily mass gathering of persons at the Belmopan office, seen here. After that initial interview, the persons are then referred to the Immigration Department for a follow-up interview.





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