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Last night, we showed you how the Government of Belize flip flopped on Help for Progress. That’s the NGO funded by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, which has been assisting the Government’s Refugee Eligibility Committee to process the major spike in the numbers of persons applying for refugee status in Belize, starting from January 2016.

Last week, Government said that Help For Progress was assisting the Refugee Committee by conducting the initial interviews for these persons who were applying for asylum in Belize. But, after a meeting of Cabinet yesterday, the Government announced that Help For Progress had no mandate to take up this responsibility. Their press release ended, quote, "Any entity other than the…Refugee Eligibility Committee involved in processing applications for refugee status considerations, should cease and desist...â€￾ End Quote. 

So, why now? That’s an especially relevant question since Help for Progress had assisted the Committee in interviewing over 700 applications, which reportedly included illegal immigrants, who should not qualify for Refugee Status, since they’ve been in the country for years. 

Well, that’s what we asked the new Minister of State responsible for Immigration, Beverly Castillo, today in Belmopan. Here’s what she had to say about the new Government position on Help for Progress:

Hon. Beverly Castillo - Minister of State, Ministry of Immigration
"Historically we've had an office in late 1980s I believe and that office was then reduced to a desk in immigration. Subsequent to that Help for Progress worked along with UNHCR and UNHCR is in country for technical assistance with government of Belize but they are funded by UNHCR that is Help for Progress and so the flows come through there. There is a desk in immigration that process those application after they're accepted just the application is accepted. But I believe with the now focus on the department and with the reactivation of the Refugee eligibility committee it is time for us to step back to do a stock taking to do the analysis; what is there, what is happening, what is actually in the process."

Daniel Ortiz
"The release had a very concerning tone at the end where it says all persons who are not authorized by government to conduct interviews on behalf of the Refugee Committee should cease and desist. That would suggest that something irregular is taking place at Help for Progress, is that what that was supposed to mean?"

Hon. Beverly Castillo - Minister of State, Ministry of Immigration
"I don't think that is what it meant; I believe government now wants to take control of that situation."

Daniel Ortiz
"Is there any reason to question the persons who the Help for Progress office had vetted?"

Hon. Beverly Castillo - Minister of State, Ministry of Immigration
"There is no reason to question them, they came in, they received the applications, they went to immigration; they were given a special permit. What we have to now do is fast track the processing of those persons who were issued with those special applications to determine their status that is what needs to be done."

So, that’s the Immigration Department’s position on Help for Progress. The Department simply wants to be in full control of the entire application process, for transparency and accountability purposes. 

But what about the other situation which this mass rush for refugee applications has revealed? The Refugee law says that in order for an immigrant to qualify for refugee status in Belize, persons need to make the application to the Immigration Department within 14 days of arriving in this country. Information reaching us is that large numbers of applicants in this 4 to 5 month rush are illegal immigrants who should not qualify because they applied after being illegally in Belize for months or, in some cases, years. So, what’s going to happen to them? Here’s what the Minister had to say to that:

Hon. Beverly Castillo - Minister of State, Ministry of Immigration
"Section 8:1 of the Refugee act speaks specifically to refugees coming into Belize there is a 14 day window within they can apply; so that is what qualifies you immediately. You would have had to have a well-founded fear of persecution against violence, for political persecution, war, whatever it is in that country of which you have a well-founded fear you would have to apply to the department of Refugees to establish your position as an asylum seeker and for us if it is accepted within that period then you are a refugee applicant indeed. Then there is the process of review, interviews and to establish that before it comes to minister for signature."

Daniel Ortiz
"Do you accept or concede that a vast number of person who applied at the Help for Progress office are person who've been living illegally in this country?"

Hon. Beverly Castillo - Minister of State, Ministry of Immigration
"We believe so; we're going to be honest. There has been an upswing of applications between January to date and so it either that or our borders being very porous that it is that people are coming across. You know how we are you tell your family that this is happening, we are registering there so I believe if they did not use sticking strictly to the law; if they did not come in between that 14 day window, then you would not be to be received. You will receive an application because everybody will come with an application but you would not then qualify for refugee status. Some of those person you may wish to know that were accepted are already in the process for permanent residence but people may see an opportunity in that and that is one of the reason government wants to take control of that situation."

Daniel Ortiz
"I understand like I said a large amount of the applicants who've come forward. They sort of identified themselves, tell on themselves basically that they've been living in this country illegally so will they face deportation?"

Hon. Beverly Castillo - Minister of State, Ministry of Immigration
"Legally speaking then you become stateless, you’re an illegal immigrant yes that would be the status if you do not qualify. However because of the length of time some of these people have been here government would have to make a decision on how we would treat those person."

Daniel Ortiz
"Are you minded as the current minister in charge of this situation to be strict to the letter of the law or to seek guidance from the rest of the ministry on whether or not they should be immediately rejected?"

Hon. Beverly Castillo - Minister of State, Ministry of Immigration
"The law is always the best way to go Daniel but of course we're guided by cabinet policy."

We still have a little more from our interview with Beverly Castillo when we asked if there is anything irregular taking place with the Refugee application process which has made it popular overnight. We’ll have that for you tomorrow night.