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Of course, we’re all learning the report as we go along, and we aren’t the only ones who still have a lot to review: the US Ambassador Carlos Moreno, among other government officials are still familiarizing themselves with the content, or just about to read the reports. Now as you heard, Godwin Hulse declined to comment on any specific topic in the documents, but Ambassador Moreno took our questions on it. Moreno admitted to us that the information is alarming and that it could affect the free and open flow of Belizeans into the US.

Courtney Weatherburne
"Shifting over to the Auditor General's report on the visa and passport scandal; first of all have you read it or gone over it?"

Carlos Moreno, US Ambassador to Belize
"I have not had an opportunity to read it, I just read about it in today's newspapers. I'm looking forward to reading it and ultimately if there are ways that the US government can assist in terms of investigation and so forth I think if we're asked to participate we'll be happy to do so."

Reporter
"Does that include cancelling visas for person who may have been involved? We understand that the prime minister has asked certain questions of the US embassy in that regard."

Carlos Moreno, US Ambassador to Belize
"I can't answer that hypothetical as to particular individuals but I don't really think I should say more because these are matters that are confidential in the state department and confidential with respect to the visa holders."

Courtney Weatherburne
"I guess you can speak about Ruth Meighan as well..."

Carlos Moreno, US Ambassador to Belize
"Same reason, you can ask her what the reason was.."

Courtney Weatherburne
"We could ask you, you could disclose why her visa was cancelled?"

Carlos Moreno, US Ambassador to Belize
"Right we're precluded from doing that."

Courtney Weatherburne
"So sir there's just a few elements I think there's a section in there that talks about over 55,000 applications for Belizean passports were actually approved without any biometric checking. There was one case where read a human trafficker was also approved entry in the country; got Belizean nationality and a number of other cases of fraud, could you comment on that so far?"

Carlos Moreno, US Ambassador to Belize
"That is very concerning to the United States’ government because as part of the US visa process we rely and we expect that the documentation that is going to be presented to us is legitimate and if there is any fraud involved in the obtaining of those Belizean documents; of course that is a very very great concern to us because we certainly do not want people entering the United States who's credentials are false in the first instance."

Now there is also a concern regarding foreigners who entered Belize with unverified US Visas or US permanent residency cards. Those who have either US visas or US green cards were routinely exempted from screening because the assumption was that they had already been screened by the rigorous ICE security apparatus.

But, what if those US travel documents weren’t legit? In the report it states that over 800 persons entered Belize with these documents but there is no record of any verification process with the US Embassy. Here is what Ambassador Moreno had to say about that.

Courtney Weatherburne
"In terms of the US visa it also mentioned that over 800 persons were allowed into Belize visa various entry points with US either permanent residence or visas but we wanted to see if the different immigration officials actually reach out to the US to find out and to verify if the US permanent residency cards or visas were actually valid? Because in the report it says there is no documentation of any verification with the US embassy or the US."

Carlos Moreno, US Ambassador to Belize
"I'm not sure if I fully am aware of that instance. If you're alluding to fraudulent US documents that are presented to Belizean authorities then that would be a great concern so we could actively pursue any kind of fraudulent US document that would be presented to Belize."

Courtney Weatherburne
"In terms of protocol it would be protocol for the immigration officials to reach out to the US embassy to verify if these foreigners coming in with the US residency card or visas are actually verified and it's authentic?"

Carlos Moreno, US Ambassador to Belize
"I expect that we would fully cooperate with Belizean authorities who suspect that US documents were fraudulent."