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Immigration, the Belly Of The Beast
posted (February 15, 2017)

Since the Senate Hearings on Immigration Started last year in November, we’ve been faithfully reporting on all the major revelations. But nothing so far has caused as much of a stir as today’s testimony from Teresita Castellanos. She’s the former Finance Officer for the Immigration Department from 2011 to 2014, and she was called to answer questions in the afternoon session of the hearings last week, right after former CEO Candelaria Saldivar-Morter left the stand. She returned this morning to finish up, and she told the Senators that she had something which they needed to hear.

When she was given the floor to share her perspective, she stunned the unusually crowded gallery with what she asserts is her honest opinion of the Immigration Department. She called it a place of hustling and corruption, with the Immigration Officers acting as a fraternity, resisting order and transparency, and covering for each other.

Now, you’ve heard the Former Acting Immigration Director talk about a culture of irregularity at the Department, which she met there, and which she tried her hardest and failed to change. Last week Wednesday, Former CEO Candelaria Saldivar said that there is no band-aid fix for what is wrong at Immigration, and if there is not extensive reform, quote, â€œ…10 years from now, we'll be having another Senate Hearing.â€￾ End quote.

Well, today Teresita Castellanos described it as “the belly of the beastâ€￾. Here’s her startling disclosure:

Teresita Castellanos - Former FO, Immigration Department
“The Department, heading by the acting Director, Miss Maria Marin, and a small team, including myself, the Administrative Officer, made many attempts to stop the rampant mal-practices that plagued the department. The problem was too difficult to accomplish. The reason being that there was not the support from our Ministry. We considered - and I will read verbatim, because I have to say what I have to say today. We considered ourselves orphans of the Ministry of Labour, Local Government, and it ended with the Immigration Department. The Department because important when a document needed approval. We became infamous with scandals, but even so, the support was just not there. Yes, the culture was there, is there. It still is, but there are persons who are trying to pretend they don't know what culture exists at the Department. I may not have another opportunity to say what I have to say to the Belizean people. Some may even ask me what gives me the right to talk, but today, I do. I was in the belly of the Beast. I was at the Immigration Department, for 3 years, and I'm among those named in the Auditor General's report. This gives me the right to say the following. The Immigration Department has an entrenched culture of corruption and hustling, milking the cow, we say, from the very top, to the very bottom of the ladder. No politician can force a public officer to do illegal acts when performing our jobs, and if we do, we should face the same consequence, as the politicians, if necessary, if it comes to that. For, the Belizean people are demanding justice. There are a few good, honest and dedicated immigration officers, but there was not enough trusted staff to see the daily operations of the sections, and at the district offices, and border stations. The call for help was not answered, and this inquiry is the result. The resistance to follow instructions given by head of departments, and to adhere to the Government regulations was frustrating. The culture by immigration officers, of treating civilian public officers, as a director or as a finance officer, or admin. officer, we are considered as intruders in the Department. Of how dear we to come - example - how dare the FO to come and check our offices, to check our visa application files. How dare them? The culture of Immigration Officers work against the civilians or any officer at the Department who was doing the right thing; the Immigration Officers, they are a fraternity, the mentality of touch one, touch all.â€￾

“I will like to state that the resistance by some officers was beyond my comprehension, resistance in adhering to regulation, to doing the right thing. At one point, some of us were fearful for the life of the acting Director, Maria Marin. Why? Because she was doing her job, because she was strict, because she was putting things in place for the hustling to stop. This is just a part of the story regarding the Immigration Department. The corruption behind closed doors, the intricacies, the lies and the attempts to cover up the wrongdoings, a department - as far as I can call it - of ill repute. It is all sad. I will be hated for this, but I am under oath today, and the truth must be told. This was written by me last night. I got this inspiration last night. God, please let me do it. Tell me to. Guide me. Do it; say it, or do not say it, and I have the privilege to say it today."

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