Belize Prime Minister Dean Barrow said citizen security in his country has deteriorated phenomenally owing to increasing street violence, which has now emerged as a huge social problem for his government, as is the case in several other Caribbean territories.
Dean Barrow
The murder rate in the Central American nation is “very disturbing” Barrow said, while pointing out that proportionately Belize was third in the Caribbean with respect to the numbers of murders per hundred thousand-population, coming behind Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago.
The Prime Minister registered his concerns over the situation unfolding in his country in an interview with Stabroek News yesterday during a break at the 30th Regular Meeting of the Heads of Government of Caricom.
He said that crime is a huge problem, noting that it has its genesis in “the usual suspects” such as social deterioration, economic problems, and Belize’s vulnerability to drug trafficking among other things.
In terms of combative measures, he said that Belize is part of the regional crime strategy and has been able to share “that experience of Caricom”, and is working to tackle the problem. However, he stressed that things are “absolutely terrible”.
He said Belize is also part of a wider strategy in Central America — the Merida Initiative. The Merida Initiative is a security arrangement between the US government and Mexico and Central America which is aimed at combating the threats of drug trafficking, transnational crime and money laundering. Recently, in Trinidad at the Fifth Summit of the Americas Caricom leaders had expressed a desire to join the Merida Initiative.
Speaking to what is fuelling the crime situation, Barrow said, the street violence or as he termed it the “gang warfare and turf beefs” has caused the unprecedented murder rate in Belize.
He pointed out that innocent bystanders are often caught in the middle.
The issue of crime was expected to be addressed at the level of the Heads of Government Conference, but Prime Minister Barrow was unable to comment specifically on this given that the subject had not yet come up.
CLICO
The Prime Minister told Stabroek News that his country’s economy survived the CLICO collapse which had a crippling effect across the region because of sufficient statutory reserves to cover everything that fell under the life and health portfolios.
But he said that there were some annuities which the reserve funds were unable to cover resulting in Belize “taking a hit”. However, he said it has not been anything near as excruciating as it has been for Guyana and the Eastern Caribbean.
The Supreme Court of Belize made an order that the Belize Branch of the insurance company be placed under Judicial Management on May 30 this year, and to further protect the interest of policyholders, the court also ordered that no assets of the company are to be transferred.
The colossal collapse of CL Financial in Trinidad and Tobago triggered a series of meltdowns in its subsidiary CLICO across the region, affecting Guyana, the Bahamas, Barbados and Belize.
CCJ move
He disclosed that his government had introduced the first reading of the Bill in Parliament for Belize to accede to the jurisdiction of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) some two weeks ago, noting that the legislation requires a three-fourths majority which the administration has in the House of Representatives.
But because the Privy Council as the final appellate court is fundamentally entrenched in the constitution, his government is required to observe a 90-day period of public consultation which has started.
“We fully expect to accede… there does not appear to be any opposition to the move… so it should be fairly smooth sailing which means that we just have to [observe the] appropriate period and take the appropriate steps,” he added.
Since its inauguration a few years ago only Guyana and Barbados have acceded to the jurisdiction of the CCJ as the final appellate court for both countries.
Honduras
Commenting on the situation in Honduras which is a close neighbour to Belize Barrow said his country views what has happened there as illegal, and has joined with the international community in condemning the military coup that ousted President Manuel Zelaya. Consequently, his government does not recognize the interim government currently in place.
But according to him there is a sense the interim government is “softening somewhat” following interventions by the Organisation of American States (OAS) and that it appears to be leaning towards an arrangement for Zelaya to return and serve out his term in office.
“There is a hope that something will be done to resolve the issue sooner rather than later,” Barrow said.
Regularly, there is a great immigration from Honduras into Belize and most of the Caribbean nation’s seasonal banana workers are from its Latin American neighbour.
PM BARROW
I would luv to visit belize. Right now I daydreaming about it. It starts from a dream then one day zap it is a reality.
you can travel from the states to belize by road and as such weapons are easily smuggled into that country.
i have a friend who goes there every few months.
Crime is not a one man thing, all over there’s crime and no country is immune to it.
Interesting that these countries have a higher crime rate than Guyana.Our country is made to look as if it has the highest crime rate throught the caribbean and is the most fearful place on earth to visit!!!
The media, opposition parties, anti govt people and some bloggers here are trying to make Guyana look like the worst country in the world whereas Guyana is recovering from one of the worst country in the world thanks to the PPP/C.
Coolieman please give me a break? we are making guyana look terrible? bloggers are trying to make Guyana look like the worst country in the world?
Listen my friend what jagdeo and the PPP have done to this country no blogger on any website can match that record of destruction.
You mention Guyana is recovering under PPP? sorry man de blackout and water shortages mek ah cant see and ah cant wash meh glasses when ah deh in Guyana but can you show me all the great progress we as a people and a nation have made under the PPP? enlighten me budday show me the way…..
Wonder how many leaders will acknowledge that there are social problems in their country? I applaude you Mr. Barrow for being honest and frank about your own country. Hope you can get help over come the problems and put Belize stronger on her feet.
Come on Rohan, Jagdeo does this all the time, the man is always showing humility and telling us where he has failed, look he apologized to the nation for the PPP’s complacent and inept performance for the past 17 years. Where were you didn’t you see that program on NCN?
at least the prime minister admists there is a drug problem in that country amongst other things.
Speaking to what is fuelling the crime situation, Barrow said, the street violence or as he termed it the “gang warfare and turf beefs” has caused the unprecedented murder rate in Belize.
eh eh i thought Guyana was the #uno where crimes are concerned.
for once i will say sn has brought us good great news where the pm is honest enough to speak de truth about his own counrty people….
but in guyana its called “freedumb fighters” wen dem go on killing spree fighting for turf….de drug money is big and even bigger than some governments…once police and army people involved then the innocent people are “doomed”…
DRASTIC TIMES CALLS FOR DRASTIC MEASURES IS A MUST:::::
BUT SOME POLITICIANS ARE MORE AFRAID OF THEIR VISAS BEING “REVOKED” INSTEAD OF PROTECTING THEIR INNOCENT CITIZENS….THEY TEND TO FORGET ABOUT THE INNOCENT CITIZENS WHOM ARE HARD WORKING TAX PAYERS:
POLITICIANS FORGET THAT EVEN SOME OF THEM GET HOOKED ALONG WITH SOME FROM THE JUDICAL SYSTEM BY DRUG DEALERS::::
BUT ITS THE INNOCENT HARD WORKING CITIZENS OF THESE COUNTRIES PAY THE ULTIMATE PRICE FOR INEPT CORRUPTED OFFICIALS.
WHEN WILL IT STOP YOU ASKED???? IT WILL NEVER STOP….AS LONG AS THE INNOCENT CITIZENS STAND UP…STAND UP IN ALL COUNTRIES AND SAY “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH” WHEN ONE POLICE / ARMY / POLITICIAN IS FOUND GUILTY OF INVOLVEMENT WITH DRUG LORDS AND CRIMINALS TO PAY THE ULTIMATE PRICE AND MUST BE JAILED FOR LIFE…ONE AFTER THE OTHER…THEN THIS SCOURAGE WILL EASED AT BIT AND EVENTUALLY COME TO AN END…..
Murder rates per 100,000 pop (2007 most recent)
Jamaica 49
Belize 30.8
TT 30.38
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_rates
Guyana’s current rate 15, with the highest 27.3 in 2003.
(Local newspapers)
Now this is what I call HONESTY.
the stats were there a long time ago.
hear! hear! where are the anti-govts. that bad talk their own country? shame on you all!
I am saving up to move to Belize in about 18 months – I hope the crime/murder calms down before then – these are my retirement years!