As we showed you last night, Immigration Officer Ady Pacheco's had her second day of testimony before the Senate Select Committee.
She explained that the Department was lax in trying to filter out fraud and forgery - giving way to all kinds of irregularities.
But, Pacheco also had another interesting claim. She says that Cabinet did away with the security clearance process for persons trying to apply to the Immigration Department for those Belizean documents.
Now there's always the concern of human trafficking, where it has long been suspected that immigrants may want to use Belize as a spring board to get into the United States. Then, there is the rising concern of terrorism, extremists, and international fugitives.
Pacheco says the process to screen applicants for security concerns like those was discontinued at Immigration because Cabinet gave a directive:
Hon. Mark Lizarraga
"In your years at the department were you ever told to be on the lookout for human trafficking, human smuggling, whatever, terrorism, foreign nationals trying to use our Belizean nationality and identity to no good?"
Ady Pacheco
"Yes sir."
Hon. Mark Lizarraga
"Can you tell us about that and how was that..."
Ady Pacheco
"That was why when I was moved over to the nationality section, that was my main concern and that was when I ask why the security clearance process had been completely removed from the whole application. To me that was a very important factor as the security clearance. It runs basically a background check on this person, not only in his home country, but worldwide. So when that had been removed I questioned it, because I knew that was in place from ever since."
Hon. Mark Lizarraga
"You recall what the response was?"
Ady Pacheco
"Yes. I was told it's a cabinet decision."
Hon. Mark Lizarraga
"And did they say why?"
Ady Pacheco
"I don't recall I even continued to ask why. I was basically 'It's a cabinet decision.""
Hon. Mark Lizarraga
"In hindsight now we can see that perhaps that was not the best move. You agree?"
Ady Pacheco
"Best more for what sir?"
Hon. Mark Lizarraga
"Well when it comes to protecting the way we safeguarded our nationals or the whole process. I means it lacks stop on something that was important."
Ady Pacheco
"Something that was very important in my view."
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