The Auditor-General’s report on corruption in immigration is out…well technically it’s been out since March twenty-first, almost three months ago…sent to the PM and to the Ministry of Immigration. But it has been kept under lockdown. And now it’s out…and we mean really out.
COLA today issued a press release revealing that it has gotten hold of a leaked copy, and it is reportedly as damning as was expected. COLA is holding on to the report, claiming that all will be revealed at a press conference on Thursday. But the release does offer some startling information, stating that “the Report establishes that Penner did not act alone…that there was a ring of selected Immigration officials and trusted private citizens who engineered the systemic abuse of the process to manufacture Belizean passport and nationality certificates for several undeserving, unqualified individuals, including South Korean swindler Won Hong Kim.” The release continues to state that, “The Report is clear that specific and prosecutable offences may have been committed many times over by Penner.”
According to COLA, the Auditor General’s report speaks of many other cases of irregularities within the Immigration and Nationality Department. And COLA says that in the report, Director of Immigration Maria Marin also came under fire. The release states that, “Miss Marin is reproached for showing blatant disrespect to the office of the Auditor-General as it sought the necessary records for its investigation.”
As we told you, COLA will be holding a press conference on Thursday to, in its own words, elaborate further on this important development. Sources independent of COLA told News Five today that the twenty-five page report does indeed incriminate former Minister of State Elvin Penner. But more than that, it allegedly points to the involvement of other Ministers in the immigration hustle. Prime Minister Dean Barrow will be hosting a press conference on Wednesday at the Belize Biltmore Plaza. It is not known what topics will be presented but we expect that he will be asked about the Auditor-General’s report.
Below is the full text of the COLA press release:
CITIZENS ORGANIZED FOR LIBERTY THROUGH ACTION (COLA)
PRESS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AUDITOR GENERAL’S REPORT LEAKED TO COLA
BELIZE CITY, Tues. June 10, 2014 – On May 14, 2014, COLA formally requested of Prime Minister Dean Barrow that he disclose the Auditor General’s Preliminary Report which was known to be in his possession as well as other material presented to him by those investigating former Minister of State Elvin Penner. There has been absolutely no response. However, that complete and callous disregard to COLA’s letter has touched the heart of an anonymous source to act in the national interest and leak the Auditor General’s Report to COLA to assist in our private prosecution of Penner.
The Report is a scathing indictment of the behavior of senior officials in the Department, especially Director of Immigration, Maria Marin. Ms. Marin is reproached for showing blatant disrespect to the office of the Auditor General as it sought the necessary records for its investigation. Additionally, the Report indicates that according to the Director, much, if not all of the pertinent information requested by the Audit Department is with Godwin Hulse.
Most importantly, the Report establishes that Penner did not act alone, that there was a ring of selected Immigration officials and trusted private citizens who engineered the systemic abuse of the process to manufacture Belizean passport and nationality certificates for several undeserving, unqualified individuals, including Won-Hong Kim.
The Report is clear that specific, and prosecutable, offenses may have been committed many times over by Penner. It also establishes that he had the assistance of high-ranking officials inside the Immigration and Nationality Department. He also depended on certain others both inside and outside the Department. In toto, the Report establishes that there are many other cases of irregularities within the Immigration and Nationality Department, not only the Kim file; that the corruption and wrongdoing extended far beyond that single case.
In light of this new information, COLA will host a press conference on Thursday morning, June 12, 2014, at which time we will elaborate further on this important development and what it means for the private Penner prosecution. Time and place will be announced later. ///
Contact: Geovannie Brackett
President