Panton Says Details are Hidden in Belize-U.S. Refugee Agreement

The deal, known as the Safe Third Country Agreement, is set to take effect after Senate ratification and the creation of operating procedures. But the full text of the agreement hasn’t been disclosed. We don’t know the annexes, transitional arrangements, or even how many asylum seekers Belize will be expected to accommodate. Critics, including the Opposition Leader, say this secrecy flies in the face of the government’s promise of transparency. So, what’s really in this deal, and why are key details still under wraps?

 

Tracy Taegar-Panton, Leader of the Opposition

“The agreement will take effect after, not debate in the House of Representative, but ratification in the Senate and the development of these proposed operating procedures. However, there are critical omissions that raise more questions than answers. Again, I wish to reiterate the lack of transparency and accountability by this Briceno administration. This has become its hallmark, the same administration who promised to establish and uphold the gold standard for transparency and accountability in government. The full text of the agreement has not been disclosed. The preamble to the agreement and some of the recitals has recently been shared with members of the Senate, however, the full text, the comprehensive text, including the annexes, transitional arrangements, technical assistance and cost sharing commitments have not been disclosed. The annual cap on numerical limits also remain unknown. How many asylum seekers will Belize be accommodating?”