Boots and His Ministry Support Belize City Curfew

Anthony ‘Boots’ Martinez

The issue of imposing a nine o’clock curfew for anyone below the age of eighteen years has gained traction in all corners, including the Ministry of Human Development and Social Transformation.  While it has been met with objection from UNICEF, the idea of a citywide restriction on minors is one that is supported by government.  Nonetheless, a curfew, according to Minister Anthony ‘Boots’ Martinez, is not the end all be all to the problem of children and criminal activity.

Anthony ‘Boots’ Martinez, Minister of Human Development & Social Transformation

“At this level, I think that the police have been reporting that since the announcement of the curfew that the numbers in terms of children being on the street has been minimal.  But to me that is not solving the problem.  The problem is out there lurking in my humble opinion, students and the amount of children that should be in school or in some program during school time and I am certain that if you comb a lot of areas, including Port Loyola you will meet a lot of children who should be in school and they have a saying that says that idle mind is the devil workshop and that is my biggest fear. My biggest fear is what is out there now in the daytime could escalate to further compound the problem. And so I support the curfew as…not as the final or the key aspect. I support the curfew by law and my ministry supports the curfew because it is on the law books, but we need to find a solution to the problem.”