Senate Briefing Sets Stage for Refugee Agreement  

Belize is one step closer to being recognized as a safe third country, but what does that really mean? This week, the Senate held a detailed briefing on the agreement, with the Attorney General and Ambassador Aisha Borland answering tough questions and clearing up concerns. No vote yet, but Senior Counsel Eamon Courtenay says approval is likely. Even then, the deal won’t kick in right away; first, the Refugees Act needs to be amended to include key protections and operating procedures. So, for now, it’s just the beginning of a bigger process.

 

Eamon Courtenay, SC, Attorney-at-Law

“I suspect so. There was a very helpful meeting held on Monday, of the senate committee, the committee of the whole senate where the agreement was discussed in detail and we had the Attorney General and Ambassador Aisha Borland, answering questions and explaining the provisions to senators. It was an opportunity for any concerns that people had to be brought up, any matters that they needed clarification on. There was no vote or any indication on how people will vote or whether they will support it or not. It was an information sharing opportunity, but I suspect that at the end of the day the senate will approve and authorize the ratification of the agreement. I think it’s worthwhile to mention that even though the agreement, let’s say the senate were to approve the ratification of the agreement, the agreement won’t come into force immediately because there has to be an amendment to the Refugees Act in order to domesticate the agreement and to put in place some of the protections that are required. So, to use the words of the Attorney General, approval of the agreement is just a trigger to move to that second stage where the Refugees Act will have to be amended and I believe some of the safeguards that senators may have would then be included in the Refugees Act, as well as the operating procedures which, as I understand, are being negotiated at the moment.”