Shyne speaks on passport prices

Turning now to the fees of the new e-passports, Opposition Leader Barrow says he does not agree with the drastic increase, and says that the government should have more empathy for the Belizean people.

Moses “Shyne” Barrow, Leader of the Opposition: “Every Belizean should own a passport. We don’t care if it has a chip in it. We don’t need it to be world class we have to deal with what we can afford. Yes Eamon Courtenay could afford a 400% increase, Julius Espat can afford it, all of them can afford it but the day to day Belizeans, the caneros, -“

Reporter: I think the Prime Minister suggested that the cane farmer does not need a passport.

Moses “Shyne” Barrow, Leader of the Opposition: “Yes that’s a very pompous and again tone deaf presumption to make. All Belizeans should have a passport and every government should find ways to make the pathways to these necessary things easier. A 400% increase disenfranchises people. Put that together with the terrible services at the immigration department. You, with all of the technological advancements that they claim that they have implemented to digitize the immigration process you’re still waiting for months to get an appointment. When you do get there you’re still waiting for hours to be seen, nothing has gotten better despite the tens of millions of dollars that they spent to put in these new technological advancements. So again I don’t see any improvement in the lives of the people, the day to day people, the working class. Yes, the rich class ? They’re getting whatever they need to get based on their relationships with members of Cabinet and based on how the system is set but the day to day working class people that the Briceno administration promised that they cared so much about and they would make life better it is not getting better. 400% increase in passports that is not an improvement and to then dismiss the caneros and dismiss other people ‘Oh they don’t need passport. It’s only the people that need passport should worry about that.’ is a disconnected reflection of the reality.“