100s of immigrants become Belizeans

Prime Minister Dean Barrow is on the record that general elections are likely to follow the March Seventh municipal elections. But from the looks of it, there is surely a lot of activity to signal that we are now in the political season and that the generals may be sooner rather than later. Aside from the drop in electricity rates and the Social Security loan write-offs to sweeten the pot for the electorate, the Prime Minister also begins a national tour this weekend in the Corozal District with stops in Chunox and Caledonia in the Corozal Southeast. Coupled with the attendance of U.D.P. standard bearers to cabinet meetings and the opening of elections and boundaries offices this Saturday, there is another telling sign. This morning there were long lines at the George Price Centre in Belmopan. Hundreds of new Belizean nationals were taking the oath. From one account as many as four hundred new Belizeans, mostly Central Americans, became new citizens. They were bused in from all over, and from what we gather, over a hundred and seventy are from the Corozal South East constituency held by Florencio Marin Junior who won the 2008 elections by a slim margin of sixteen votes. This is also the constituency where the PM will kick off the traditional national tour that precedes general elections. The swearing-in ceremony started this morning and continued all day and we are reliably informed that U.D.P. standard bearers were in the mix providing for the soon-to-be electors. Hundreds of other new citizens will reportedly take the oath next week. The next step is for them to register quickly to qualify to vote in both the municipal and general elections. The video was provided by one of our viewers.

Channel 5

Congratulations to my friends who are now New Belizeans. Get busy and sign up to vote. See you at the polls.

All new citizens need to remember that you have a duty to your new country to vote responsibly. That means to vote for the best candidate. Usually politicians help with the citizenship process but that does not mean that the new citizen has any obligation to vote for the politician that helped him obtain citizenship. We welcome all but please help us have a better country by fighting this corruption which some see as attempts at vote buying. As elections are soon register to vote today!

New citizens swear oath

In Friday’s newscast, we showed you the video of hundreds of persons lining up at the George Price Centre in Belmopan where they took the oath to become new Belizean citizens. The rush to process and bestow citizenship on hundreds of persons is telling because municipal elections are just around the corner. And with the general elections imminent, it stands that the new Belizeans are soon be added to the voters list. There is also a report that four hundred and eighty additional persons will take the oath this Friday, at least that’s the plan being put in place by the Immigration Department. But sources close to News Five say that in the mad rush, a number of prerequisites for citizenship are being waived and that the letter of the law is not been followed. One new citizen told us in Spanish that he did not have to take the certain tests that form part of the requirements.

In the following video you will see the long lines at the George Price Centre, the busses, and U.D.P. political operatives, assisting the soon to be voters. According to our sources most of the new Belizeans are from the Corozal Southeast and Orange Walk Central constituencies. This morning the VIP, the Vision Inspired by the People, railed about the mass nationalization taking place saying that due process is not being adhered to and reminded government that the granting of nationality is a serious process for which due diligence and processes should be followed. The release says that one year ago, the VIP voiced its concern to the proposed amnesty of over twenty thousand illegal persons residing in Belize and called for due process to be respected and followed. That programme, which would have offered permanent residency, was shelved, but now there is evidence that citizenship is being granted to hundreds of persons.

Channel 5

VIP cries nationality improprieties at Immigration Department

A year ago, Vision Inspired by the People, voiced its concern on the proposed amnesty of over 20,000 illegal aliens residing in Belize. With hundreds of immigrants taking the oath to be new Belizean nationals on Friday, the party issued a press release to the media, expressing alarm about this process. The release says that the VIP is concerned over reports that the due process is not being adhered to in the recent nationalization of hundreds of immigrants which took place this past Friday. According to the VIP, they have been receiving information that the process, which normally takes up to a year, was done in 30 days. We spoke to Director of Vision Inspired by the People, Robert Lopez.

Robert Lopez, Director, VIP
Nationality is being given out in mass, in numbers that we are very concerned, but not so that than the due process we understand is not being followed. Normally this process takes six to nine months, or over a year or two, because we have talked to several people. So we understand from inside information that as little as thirty days is the present turn around time to get nationality. Off course, in may be a big push to get these people registered to vote, because you have to a Belizean to vote in the upcoming general elections. So to the government, have we really done the full investigation? There are persons that come here running from their country of origin or running from other countries that they reside in who have criminal records. There is no way that you can properly do the investigation of that person’s background within thirty days. So you might have a clean police record in Belize, but that’s not to say that you have a clean police record from wherever you originated from and you came here. So we think that this way of doing things can come back to haunt us seriously.

VIP says that the granting of nationality is a serious process and all due diligence and processes should be followed.

PlusTV

Fraudulent addresses for new Belizean Citizens?

The deadline for the registration of new voters has been extended from today to January twentieth. And there is a mad rush to register to vote in March seventh election or the upcoming general elections whenever they are called which, according to the Prime Minister, is very soon. So on Friday, as many as four hundred persons, mostly Central Americans, queued up at the George Price Centre in Belmopan to take the oath as new citizens of Belize. Despite the hue and cry from the wary public, the practice of mass naturalization normally takes place before elections to pad the voters list. The contention has been that most of the new Belizeans do not qualify and that due process is invariably not followed in the rush for new votes. In respect of Friday’s swearing-in, most of the new Belizeans provided addresses in the Corozal Southeast and Orange Walk Central constituencies. We followed the trail to Orange Walk today where the controversial process turned outright scandalous when a homeowner called the media to report that several of the new citizens were registered at her address and that of her daughter’s in the San Lorenzo area. She has found out that applications in the names of Freddy Ixchop and Ana Maria Hernandez were submitted with her address while Rebeca Acuna and Francis Maroquin registered at her daughter’s address. Our News Five team was still with the homeowner when she received a phone call from someone purportedly offering to pay her three hundred dollars to keep the story quiet. That offer was rejected and the homeowner explained that she found out her address had been used when she got a visit from Elections and Boundaries personnel on Monday.

Voice of: Homeowner, San Lorenzo Housing Layout

“I got surprised because they asked me about four or five different people if they live here. And everybody in the neighborhood know that only me and my two girls live here so I was just surprised.”

Delahnie Bain

“How did you find out?”

Voice of: Homeowner

“I don’t want to call any names but when they came here they asked where are the people them and I said I don’t know. That’s how I got to know.”

Delahnie Bain

“Okay, but who came here though, people from Elections and Boundaries?”

Voice of: Homeowner

“Elections and Boundaries yes, and they asked me where are the people because they want to speak to them and I said they don’t live here; and especially so many and when I said can I see the paper, they showed me the paper and said but these people just got naturalized. They said yes and they said that’s worse because everybody in the neighborhood knows that only we live here.”

Delahnie Bain

“And I understand your daughter’s house is also involved?”

Voice of: Homeowner

“Yeah, they said also two or three people are living there and she is a single person so the only person living there is—she’s living there by herself.”

Delahnie Bain

“What made you decide to call the media about this?”

Voice of: Homeowner

“To begin with, because they have things like human trafficking and those people just got naturalized and I know that I could get in some trouble for it.”

Delahnie Bain

“So have you been trying to do something about this?”

Voice of: Homeowner

“Well I went to different people and asked for an opinion and they said the best thing is that you have to tell the truth so here I am.”

Delahnie Bain

“And have you gotten anywhere in trying to contact any officials?”

Voice of: Homeowner

“Well of course right now around this time you can’t get to the big fish so you have to deal with the small ones. Of course I am concerned because of course you know election is close so they are finding other people just to build them up you so they get naturalized because of the fact that election is close so of course.”

Delahnie Bain

“It might also seem like a political thing, like maybe you’re just trying to bash the government or something.”

Voice of: Homeowner

“Oh no, not at all. This is not about politics. This is about just being truthful and doing the right thing and they are not doing the right thing.”

Delahnie Bain

“Is there anything else you want to highlight?”

Voice of: Homeowner

“Well, I would just send this message out that other Belizeans, born Belizeans are out here seeking help but they’re helping other people who they think they can confuse but that is not right so do the right thing.”

The Orange Walk resident and her daughter will now sign and submit a declaration to the Elections and Boundaries Department, stating that they do not know any of the citizens who claim to live at their addresses.

Channel 5

Once accused of same practice, P.U.P. wants investigation

The People’s United Party, which was also accused of the same practice before the last election, today issued a lengthy release on the issue charging that due process and the necessary rigorous scrutiny are being ignored on naturalization applications, and many of those persons who are being sworn in as instant Belizeans do not even meet the necessary criteria for citizenship. According to the opposition, not only are applicants reportedly obtaining nationality on the same day as the presentation of their application but in the case of some applications, the necessary documentation is incomplete, lacking and even simply unverifiable. Calling the ongoing exercise a reprehensible corruption of the laws, the P.U.P. wants an immediate cessation and a detailed investigation to ensure that all necessary legalities are met and due diligence is performed in respect of all applicants for citizenship and permanent residency.

Channel 5

Mass nationalizations of immigrants before elections

There’s another hot button issue that is stirring up controversy. On Friday of last week News Five broke the story of the rushed naturalization-taking place in Belmopan. Hundreds stood in line outside of the George Price Center where they were sworn in and walked away with their nationality certificates. The process is facilitated to pad the voters list; the new Belizeans now have until January twentieth, prior to the upcoming municipal elections. On Tuesday it was discovered that the addresses of residents in Orange Walk were being used duplicitously to register new voters. While in opposition, the U.D.P. took the high ground and cried foul over the then naturalization of hundreds who became full-fledged Belizeans and ended up on the voters list. But now that it is in government, the U.D.P. has continued the practice. P.M. Barrow this morning defended the practice and said that the problem of fraudulent addresses requires the vigilance of candidates and their opponents and can only be remedied through the Elections and Boundaries Department.

Dean Barrow

“Persons who are being processed for nationalization, I am satisfied, are persons who if they receive their nationality certificate are absolutely qualified and eligible and deserving. In other words, I have every faith that the Immigration Department is doing all that is necessary and other authorities involved to ensure that nobody receives Belizean nationality who is not entitled to the nationality. Thereafter if politicians seek to get those newly made nationals who become eligible to vote registered in a particular area that is a matter for them and for the revising court. None of us is naïve; none of us is a fool. All the time people try to find addresses, candidates, in their constituencies for supporters of theirs that they feel will vote for them. As long as there is no double registration that really is a matter, as I said, between the candidate, the candidate’s opponents and the Elections and Boundaries process. Don’t expect me to stand here and to say to you that I get all moral and righteous about the fact that people might be using addresses that are not their true addresses. In the electoral process in this country that is as ancient as the hills. If it is happening then it is the obligation of the opponent of whichever candidate is doing that to be on top of his or her game to object and then as I said the revision court will deal with that.”

Channel 5

The Immigration Department's late night activities

Last Friday, hundreds of immigrants to this country became nationalized Belizeans at swearing in ceremonies at the George Price Center in Belmopan. Concerns and allegations have been raised over the process of nationalization that is taking place, especially as it relates to the proper legal steps that should be taken. With reports of another few hundred immigrants to be nationalized on Friday again, there have been allegations of underhanded practices at the immigration department to speed up the process.The Director of the Immigration Department told the media that there is nothing unusual going on in the registration of new Belizeans. The mass nationalization just prior to elections is nothing new indeed. PlusTV recalls being thrown out of the George Price Center when the PUP government at the time was undergoing this same process and did not want us to film the very public event where hundreds were being nationalized under the same kind of allegations. So, there is really nothing new under the sun. But while there may be nothing unusual going on at immigration, what is happening at immigration is happening at unusual hours. Government offices are not known for extending services beyond the 5 o’clock closing time, but up to 7:30 last night, the immigration parking lot still had in vehicles with license plates from Orange Walk and Corozal, as it appeared that applicants were still being processed. We left the immigration department a few minutes later, but when we circled back half an hour later at 8 o’clock, the place looked as it normally does on a Tuesday night, locked up and closed for business.

PlusTV

Election Rush: 500+ Naturalizations Of New Citizens In One Week

Today, a rush of immigrants wanting to be new Belizeans swarmed the immigration office in Belmopan. 300 of them were scheduled to be naturalized at ceremonies held this afternoon at the George Price center.

That's after 225 were naturalized last week Friday. Make no mistake, this is what typically happens in the run-up to an election - where only Belizean citizens can vote.

Registration has been opened to the 20th. to facilitate new registrants - and before that we may even have another naturalization ceremony.

The undue haste to naturalize these new Belizeans has stirred controversy and raised eyebrows, but in the run - but, it's another dirty little secret of Belize's democracy that this is what happens in the run up to every general election in modern memory. No one knows that better than Ruth Meighan. She took over as Director of Immigration after being the Chief Elections Officer. So she's now experienced the pre-election rush at both ends of the process.

She told us that indeed it's an anomalous number of new naturalizations, but she stressed that her office is not facilitating any kind of irregularities:...

Ruth Meighan, Director of Immigration
"Who is in the crowd- we have nationals from different countries who are actually here to get sworn in today as new Belizeans, so we are going to have a sworn in ceremony sometime this afternoon. What we do is accept applications for people who want to be Belizean. We are projecting that we could possibly have about 300 persons this afternoon."

Jules Vasquez
"So then, I know you had a sworn in ceremony earlier this month as well am I right?"

Ruth Meighan
"Yes you are right. Last week Friday actually."

Jules Vasquez
"So then how many were in that?"

Ruth Meighan
"In that ceremony we had about two hundred and twenty persons."

Jules Vasquez
"So then is this an unusually high number for one month or one week really, 8 days."

Ruth Meighan
"It is, what we found now is that a lot of people who had applications sitting here from as far back as 2007-2008 for whatever reason, probably didn't have all the requirements, came in with the necessary documents and those people are also being processed."

Jules Vasquez
"Is all this being expedited because registration for the next election closes on the 20th of January?"

Ruth Meighan
"I don't know Jules; I would be able to say that we are just doing what immigration does. I think people should understand by now, especially the political persons, is that we offer a service and as a result of that, the service requires that you do certain things."

Jules Vasquez
"Would you agree though that there is a coincidence certainly in the fact that registration has, by statutory instrument, been extended up to January 20th, and two nationalization ceremonies are being held within that time?"

Ruth Meighan
"Jules I don't think it's for me to comment on that. I don't know what the reason is why, if it is coincidental or not. I am only saying that if we have the applications to process we have a directive to process them so that we could swear these persons in - that is what we are doing."

"In terms of the political aspect of it I cannot comment. I would want to because it's not my place to say these things are happening."

Jules Vasquez
"Who makes the decision to make two swearing ins within a month?"

Ruth Meighan
"It would be the government depending on the need to do so. It is alleged that we are processing applications for people who are not qualified, and that is not so. We have an instruction that, yes, we have the application, so, yes, let's process it. The directive I got from my Minister, from the Prime Minister is that we process but we stay within the law and that is what we are doing."

Jules Vasquez
"Okay, so you can assure me that all those persons I saw queuing up this afternoon and all those who will be sworn in are......"

Ruth Meighan
"They have all met the requirements."

Jules Vasquez
"Are you all expecting that you have to do another swearing in before next week Friday? We know next week Friday is the cut off time for voter registration."

Ruth Meighan
"We still have files that are not yet processed, so the likelihood does exist that we may have to, but it will be upon the instructions of the authority."

Jules Vasquez
"Of the authorities meaning the executive?"

Ruth Meighan
"My Minister."

Jules Vasquez
"Your Minister."

And so now it's left to be seen if her minister will call for one more round of naturalizations before registration closes on the 20th of January. 300 were set to be naturalized today but, still as Meighan noted, there are a number of persons who have been or are being processed but are pending naturalization.

We note that this is the first time we have been able to get numbers on the new citizens or speak to the Director, but PLUS TV out of Belmopan reports that just like in 2008 - they were not allowed to videotape the proceedings. In fact they were escorted out by police - which we condemn in the strongest terms as "very shady."

Channel 7

Was this election year stunt extended to North American and European expats as well? Just curious. Very shady indeed.

Mass nationalization efforts to continue

For the past two Fridays, at the George Price Center in Belmopan, hundreds of persons were sworn in as Belizean nationals. We have been following the mass nationalizations and the crowding of the immigration department over the past few weeks. Other media houses have reported on the processing of immigrants’ papers happening in various constituencies by area representatives. It has been reported that just this weekend there was mass registration in Ladyville as area representative, Michael Hutchinson, facilitated the processing of huge numbers of persons on Saturday and Sunday. Criticism over the practice of mass nationalization in time for elections abounds but we understand that there is to be another swearing in ceremony tomorrow. It is expected to be held again at the George Price Center at 2 pm tomorrow afternoon.

PlusTV

So shady...

Hypocrisy? In 2008 P.U.P. accused of mass nationalization

The sounding of the alarm by the P.U.P. continued when Florencio Marin Junior indicated other unusual practices were occurring in Corozal. Dolores Balderamos Garcia P.U.P. Standard Bearer for Belize Rural Central also passionately expressed her ire regarding registrations at different locations under the cover of darkness in Ladyville. The media took the announcements in stride because on January eight, 2008 the P.U.P. government facilitated no less than thirteen hundred Central American migrants at the George Price Center in the Capital. So is it just the U.D.P.’s turn to do the same, or is it a case of hypocrisy? We pitched that question to the panel after Balderamos Garcia gave an update on the situation in her constituency.

Dolores Balderamos Garcia, P.U.P. Standard Bearer, Belize Rural Central

“Immigration officers and government officials are being coerced to participate in these irregular activities. We also know for example that the police records are costing the people fifty dollars. But then if you apply for the police record on a Saturday and you are being granted nationality today or tomorrow, what kind of vetting and background checks are to be done? So you can see, it is plain to be seen the illegality of what is happening. In addition to that, persons are being charged seventy-five dollars for a blood test, but they are not drawing any blood. So no actual blood tests are be taken, but the persons applying for citizenships have to produce the receipts for the police report; fifty dollars, and blood tests; seventy-five dollars and then as we know the nationality certificate will cost three hundred dollars. But the point that I would like to highlight ladies and gentlemen, Belizeans, is that this is absolutely unprecedented. So I would like to disabuse the public of the notion that the P.U.P. was doing the same thing. Absolutely and I say categorically that the P.U.P. has never and we will never carry on this kind of instant nationalization coercing public officers, abusing process and going to private people’s homes and area representatives and political operatives offices to carry out this kind of thing. I want to say that we condemn and decry this blatant and very desperate attempt on the part of the U.D.P. government to hijack the elections and to pack up and pad voters’ lists.”

Jose Sanchez

“How would you respond to the criticism that there is hypocrisy in what you are saying being that in January 2008, couple months before general elections, thirteen to sixteen hundred Central Americans also went through a very swift process also at the George Price Center in Belmopan?”

John Briceño

“Well I would like to point out that that is not true; that they went through a swift process because I remember many of our colleagues in frustration saying that this was just taking way too long. So what is being done today has never happened before. Right now, people without even following due process are getting their documents, are getting their nationality. That is what we are concerned about.”

Dolores Balderamos Garcia

“And may I add Jose and if you allow me Madam Chair, we are focused on what is happening now. We are satisfied that this is absolutely unprecedented. But focusing on what is happening now, we as a government in waiting and providing the impetus for us to move forward with what the pledges will be to the people of Belize, we want to assure you and we will be reiterating it later on that this is not going to happen under a government of the People’s United Party. We have already spoken about a fixed term of government and we will make proposals within our party and a also promulgated out to the public that a cutoff date will be made for the obtaining of citizenship so that there can be absolute transparency and that this kind of thing will not happen.”

Channel 5

Hubert Elrington guides his missile to Barrow

Earlier in the newscast, we told you that the Opposition is condemning what it calls the mad rush in the granting of citizenship in time to get the new Belizeans on the voters’ list for the upcoming elections, including nationals from across the western border. Hubert Elrington, a former Minister of the U.D.P. this morning recalled an incident back in 1998, involving the now Prime Minister, Dean Barrow. According to Elrington, Barrow at the time, objected to the registration of a group of Guatemalans.

Hubert Elrington, Attorney

“There was a big fallout in ‘98 between the present prime minister, who was then in charge of the system when it comes to whether these people were going to be registered or not. And the area representative, Mr. Usher wanted to bring in a whole bunch of people who were living here a long time but were Guatemalans. And the feeling was at the time, well you can’t do that.”

Marleni Cuellar

“Well, the laws have a particular point that says if you’re…”

Hubert Elrington

“It was seen at that time that it was against the law. The objection to Usher’s application was that it would be against the law; you can go to jail if you do this and I am not going to do it. But today, it’s no longer against the law and the law hasn’t changed. So we have a serious problem because, as I have said, when the tire hits the road and when push comes to shove, electorally, the politician is going to do what is necessary to save himself and his party and that is just the way things have been.”

Channel 5

The Last Gasp of Pre-election Naturalizations….

Usually, a naturalization ceremony for new Belizean citizens is held once a month or so - and typically about 200 new citizens are sworn in.

But in the past two and a half weeks there have been at least four ceremonies and as many as 1,100 new citizens have been sworn in. As we've been reporting, the increase in numbers is because political operatives are pushing and paying for many of these new citizens to be processed - in time to register for the next election in March.

Registration closed this evening and the last intake of new citizens was also held this afternoon at the George Price Center in Belmopan.

7news was there -where the media was allowed to freely tape the event. Here's how it went:..

Jules Vasquez reporting
Today at the George Price Center, hundreds of new Belizeans waited patiently for swearing-in ceremonies to start. These folks were lucky - their files were completed and they got to wait inside while others had to queue up outside as their paperwork had to be ferried in from the city.

After about an hour, around noon, their nationality certificates were put together and they were called in, but not all their names were called today - as some of the paperwork was still in process.

But they'd have to take their oath without it - because the minister had en emergency

Jules Vasquez
"Minister, they've had to pull up the swearing in as I understand it because there is a medical emergency, so the process is a bit switch around today, am I right?"

Hon. Carlos Perdomo, Minister of Immigration
"Yes a little bit. My wife is in a little bit emergency with her health situation. She has been revived but I have to rush down quickly, but I have to finish off this right now."

Jules Vasquez
"So they will do their swearing in and the they will have to sign their certificates?"

Hon. Carlos Perdomo, Minister of Immigration
"The certificates are already signed. What we do here is to prevent some and then the certificates have to be embossed on the seal and like that."

"The only change has been that we have had more swearing-ins in the last two weeks but this is normal what you see today and we usually do this once a month. So our officers are used to it."

"The biggest change has been that its elections time and the political people are out."

Jules Vasquez
"The Ministry and this department has come under a lot of criticism in the past two weeks."

Hon. Carlos Perdomo, Minister of Immigration
"A lot of it is political of course but for me I would say that I personally would not sign a nationality that knowingly has not fulfilled the legal requirements. so my directive to the director is we are going to help but let's make sure that our modus operandi, our work can hold up to scrutiny at any time."

"I don't know if you all know the director but, Ruth Meighan is a very tough lady and she has assured me that we can stand up to any scrutiny whenever or wherever."

Jules Vasquez
"You would agree that is it unseemly when the office is open until 11:30 at night we see political operatives going in and out of the office at that time."

Hon. Carlos Perdomo
"I don't know where those political operatives that they showed on TV with manila envelopes were. I do know that in Belmopan is where we do all the work and if they were working late it's because of the increase number of applications and the increase numbers of swearing that we be having, so that everything is done properly."

"A lot of that work at night is to fix up the nationality certificates and put the seal and then send it to the Minister. I have to sign each one plus the two copies, so its not like you can get this cross the counter and I have insisted that we do it here, every swearing in so that it is legal."

Jules Vasquez
"How many have you sign within the past two weeks?"

Hon. Carlos Perdomo
"Every month we do over 100 - 200 people. Every month when it's regular. But at each swearing in so far we are so far to 200 each time."

Jules Vasquez
"But is it the job of the immigration department to facilitate politicians who want to naturalize citizens so that they can register them."

Hon. Carlos Perdomo
"I would turn that around and say it is our job to facilitate people who come to us for consideration to become citizens."

So, in the early afternoon everyone crowded into the room at the George Price Center. There were 238 seats - and every single one was full, forcing the new citizens to crowd the back of the long hall - with about ten still spilling out of the room. Everyone had to get in, after all, this is the last naturalization ceremony before registration closes.

Now, if you want to stoke your nationalist sentiments or be inspired about Belizean patriotism, a naturalization ceremony is not the thing to attend. Most of the new Belizeans do not know the anthem - or do not know English well enough to sing it. Some try mouthing it, but in the end most just give up - and listen.

Next was the all-important oath

Ruth Meighan, Director Of Immigration
"Note that today only in swearing allegiance that you become a Belizean."

A pivotal moment, but again less than inspiring - again, most didn't know enough English to follow court commissioner Patrick Bernard as he read the oath - all we heard was a low murmur. Indeed some did faithfully say it, but at the back of the room - which you don't see form this angle - it was almost a complete disconnect.

Not quite a celebratory mood, but typical of such an event:

Hon. Carlos Perdomo
"Sometimes I feel like I am in church. Today is a very happy day, so I want to see big smiles and I want you to greet each other and I want you to feel happy about today and I want to see your smile."

And while Perdomo tried to liven and loosen up things - he also gave them a little civics lesson

Hon. Carlos Perdomo
"Countries where you come from might have religious freedom. Countries you might have come from might have the military running it. Countries you are from you might not be able to trust the army or the police, so you choose Belize for a special reason and its nit just for the passport. You chose Belize because you see something different here."

And while it was un-inspiring - as were other such ceremonies we've witnessed before, while the spirit of the room may not have projected it, speaking to these folks they are happy to be Belizeans:

Jules Vasquez
"How does this moment feel for you? you are a Belizean."

Walter Robles, Resident in Belize For 8 Years - Peru
"I am really happy. I am going to enjoy now being a Belizean."

Marcos Rolando Segura, Resident in Belize 10 Years - Guatemala
"I feel good because the truth is I want betterment for my children because I have children who were born in Belize."

Francisco Cuc, Resident in Belize For 31 Years - Guatemala
"We came here just by jumping the border. But the bad part is that if we go to Guatemala again there is no land for us to stay and I will say thanks to the whole country of Belize. I hope we cooperate with the people that actually born here, I hope we get together and hand in hand we will move forward."

Official figures on this month's naturalizations have still not been tallied - but we estimate it at 1,100. In 2008, the PUP are reported to have naturalized between 1,300 and 1,600 new citizens in the run up to the election. One party with clean hands on this is the PNP, the People's National Party out of Toledo, which has called for a change in the law which would not allow newly created citizens to vote until they have been citizens for a year.

Channel 7

The mad, mad citizenship scramble!

Last Wednesday afternoon, Amandala witnessed firsthand as many as fifty individuals, mostly of Hispanic descent, lining up outside a private home on Amara Avenue in Belize City, behind St. John’s Primary School, with the apparent intention of being facilitated with acquiring their nationalization papers.

The house, said to belong to a United Democratic Party (UDP) Belize City standard bearer, was the site of constant activity, as the individuals - man, woman and child - had their documents checked and were sent inside to continue the process.

None of those present were inclined to comment to this reporter, but information toAmandala from observers in the area prior to our arrival, is that, according to some of the would-be citizens, they were simply there to be facilitated in the process of becoming the newest citizens of the Jewel, and one was even heard to say that he would vote “for whomever gives [him his] papers.”

The mad rush to naturalize new citizens and make them registered voters is happening nationwide.

In Corozal, the Opposition PUP has been refused the opportunity to sit in on the process. In Orange Walk, a number of established residents have told PUP officials that some of the persons applying for citizenship and registering to vote, who have listed the residents’ addresses as being their addresses, don’t in fact live there, and are completely unknown to them.

In Benque Viejo, alleged “carloads” of Guatemalans are being brought over the border to change their allegiance to Belize, as is especially required for them.

In San Pedro, on Tuesday night around 7:00, an aspiring UDP municipal candidate was caught inside the elections sub-office with what appeared to be lists of registered voters, in front of the office’s only computer, in a matter that has resulted in the recall of the local registering officer and the launching of an investigation that’s now underway.

In Ladyville, this past weekend, there were scores waiting at the office of the area representative and Minister of State, Michael Hutchinson.

While it has been a countrywide “epidemic,” it has been especially wild in Belmopan, where the main office has been open late several nights, and the George Price Center has seen no less than three mass swearing-in ceremonies of new citizens in as many weeks.

But is it legal? And is it fair?

Belize’s laws are clear. Only Belizean citizens over the age of 18 can vote, and if one is not born here or has not descended from someone born or living here, one must register to become a citizen.

Observers of the process have commented on the apparent haste with which the applications are being processed. The camp of the Opposition People’s United Party (PUP) has alleged that Immigration officers, Justices of the Peace, and even the Police Department are looking the other way as the putative citizens line up with documents and receipts that, they allege, have not been fully vetted by the authorities.

And what is most surprising of all is the sheer numbers, the volume, almost an avalanche, of first naturalization and then registration. Many of the applicants are Guatemalan, or from other Central American republics.

Since this morning we have sought direct comment from the Director of Immigration and Nationality, Ruth Meighan, concerning the process, and whether all the bases have been touched. Information has been posted on online social media, including photographs, of activity taking place at the Belmopan Immigration office up to eleven p.m. last Thursday, as the January 20 deadline for registration to take part in municipal elections due on March 7 and general elections that will likely be called before the end of the year, loom.

We wanted to know how many citizens have been added to the rolls, how many more the Department is planning to swear in, and why the process requires late nights at the office even as the deadline draws nearer.

So far, Mrs. Meighan has yet to return our calls, because she has been either busy or in meetings, but she has publicly told other media houses that the process established for registration has been followed and that the Department is not processing applications that do not meet the requirements.

Answering the specific allegations of fast-tracked police records for the new citizens, Minister of Police and Public Safety Douglas Singh told us this afternoon that one-day service for pickup of police records in Belmopan costs $25, but if one applies from the districts it may take a little longer despite costing less - $14. He categorically denied anything untoward happening on the issue of police records for new citizens.

We also asked the Minister whether the Police Department is assisting in conducting background checks on new citizenship applicants, but he has yet to offer a reply as of this writing.

Those applicants willing to speak publicly, mostly to local radio and television, say they have been frustrated by the complex process of acquiring Belizean citizenship. They say they have been living here for many years, that they married here, work here, and have children here. And they insist, for the most part, that they are simply trying to “legitimize” themselves, to become truly a part of the Jewel.

But why now, and so frantically?

Some admit it is because they want to participate in municipal and general elections. Of that number, a few have made up their minds, while others intend to look more closely at the political leadership seeking their vote.

But many believe that the UDP, as incumbents and the party that is registering and facilitating new citizens, have the inside edge, just as when the PUP were in government, they had the “inside edge.”

We are told that at least one more mass swearing-in ceremony will be held tomorrow, Friday, January 20, the last day for registration for elections.

In related news, nomination day for municipal elections has been announced as February 15, 2012.

The Reporter