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Edmund Quan, Chairman - Belize Chinese Association
"This is a group of performance dancers, singers with different disabilities like muted, deaf and blind. They are one of the top 10 groups from China. They are doing a tour and Belize is part of their route, firstly Panama then Costa Rica, then Belize and lastly Colombia before returning to China."

Reporter
"We understand that when performance troupes like this when they are on tour they need visas, but the fees of those visas are typically almost all I believe are waived. Talk to us about the situation that you guys are in now where you are having to come up with the money to pay for these visas fees because they weren't waived."

Edmund Quan
"Well this in actuality is the first time in Belize Chinese Association that we need to pay for visa fees. We have always achieved visa fee waiver from the GOB. But all of a sudden this trip we got denied for the visa fee waiver."

Reporter
"Has the government or ministry provided any reason why they did not do it?"

Edmund Quan
"No reason is being given formally. We just know that it is denied and we ask for reconsideration due to the fact that this group is, the main function of this group is to showcase the Chinese culture. Is to inspire the local Belizean youths that people with disabilities that is blind, muted, deaf can achieve such achievements and so can you. It's a motivation."

As Quan mentioned, the Belize Chinese Association asked the Ministry of Immigration to reconsidered the waived fees, but were rejected a second time. Yesterday, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Wilfred Elrington did confirm the matter was brought up in Cabinet. Here's what he had to say.

Hon. Wilfred Elrington, Foreign Minister
"I know the matter was raised in our cabinet meeting this Tuesday and it was pointed out by the minister responsible for Immigration that the immigration authority has no power to waive the visa fee. It's really a matter for the ministry of immigration, but under the law there is no authority to do that. They can't do that. You would appreciate has nothing to do with immigration, but the minister informed the cabinet Minister Hulse that there is no provision for them to be able to waive the fee for anyone."

Reporter
"We've also received a report that the recent performing group CATA from India there fees were waivered. Was that brought up in cabinet?"

Hon. Wilfred Elrington, Foreign Minister
"There was reference made to another group that performed and there was an issue raised with respect to the fee. I cannot tell you if I heard exactly what happened in relation to that fee, but I did hear an issue raised in relation to a fee with respect to them. But Mr. Hulse sits right opposite me in the cabinet and so I heard exactly what he said to the cabinet that in fact there is no provision in the law to waive the immigration fee."

Reporter
"So the CATA group fees were not waived?"

Hon. Wilfred Elrington, Foreign Minister
"I don't know. But I am simply saying to you that I heard this is what Mr. Hulse said."

Despite the financial setback, the Troupe is still coming to perform on Sunday after both the Belizean Chinese and Taiwanese communities raised funds to cover the visa costs.

There are those in the local Chinese Community who feel that Belize is sweating fever for Taiwan. As you may know mainland China does not get along with its island neighbor, Taiwan. They have been jostling for allies recently - after Panama switched allegiances from China to Taiwan.