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Romel Cuello’s thoughts on travel documents for Belizeans

LettersRomel Cuello’s thoughts on travel documents for Belizeans

Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018

Dear Editor,

A band of persons from Orange Walk were today detained for going across the Rio Hondo to the picturesque village of Botes in Mexico, and returning without reporting to the Immigration office. Present were Rene Cuello, Wilfrido Novelo, Matthew Williams, Giovanni Antonio De La Fuente, all outstanding citizens.

Dillon Jones, a slightly incapacitated person representing Universal Radio, was roughed up by a police officer. After a couple hours, they were released without charges.

Rene Cuello states that he has had enough of seeing persons denied the pass at the border because they do not have a “travel document”, even though they can identify themselves as Belizean citizens.

This band is committed to the cause of respect for our Belizean citizenship, which would be shown by allowing us to travel in and out of our country, by land, without having to have a “travel document”. That is for the country we are going to visit, to require.

The “border cards” issued at the Immigration Department should be for “neighboring countries citizens” who wish to visit us.

Air travel is a totally different affair, needing much more security. The rank-and-file of the Immigration Department understand this and agree, but their “bosses and their superiors” are reluctant to allow it.

We fail to see why not, when all the countries around us, and most of the free world, practice it. Go right across to Mexico and witness the ease with which it is done.

The Constitution of Belize, the supreme law of the land, states: 10: Protection of freedom of movement: 1. A person shall not be deprived of his freedom of movement, that is to say, the right to move freely throughout Belize, the right to reside in any part of Belize, the right to enter Belize, the right to leave Belize and immunity from expulsion from Belize.

Why can’t we have the freedom that our constitution mandates? We are not saying to throw caution to the wind; just allow Belizeans our just rights.

Somebody once said, “A people should not be afraid of their government, the government should be afraid of the people.”  Methinks not afraid, but respect, and listen to each other.

Regards,
Romel Cuello

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