Cabinet unveils measures to combat crime

With the public perception that violent crime is out of control it was only a matter of time until government officially reacted. At its Tuesday session of Cabinet the nation’s leadership approved a set of strict measures that they hope will arrest and reverse the climate of fear felt in many quarters of the country. News 5 spoke to Minister of National Security Jorge Espat as he was about to enter a meeting with religious leaders that was appropriately dubbed the “crime summit.”

Jorge Espat, Minister of National Security

“The Attorney General has been directed by Cabinet to amend certain aspects of the crime laws, that those individuals who have been convicted by the court will have to pay compensation for certain offences. Those who are involved in several crimes and are repeat offenders will be denied bail. We have a decision also that we will take on about two hundred volunteer auxiliary police officers if you will, who will join the Belize Police Department for larger police presence, man power and a number of other initiatives.”

Another problem Cabinet sought to address is the matter of deportees: particularly Belizeans who committed serious crimes in the States and were deported directly from U.S. prisons back to a homeland that many of them cannot even remember.

Godfrey Smith, Attorney General

“Because of the view and the perception that the seven hundred or close to seven hundred deportees that are in Belize, and the number keeps growing, that’s a serious factor in the crime incidence that have been happening of late. So the decision of Cabinet is that certainly in relation to deportees, who be definition are in Belize, having served some time in another country but not having finished it, that where they appeared before the courts on charges of committing certain offences, they will not be granted bail.”

Ann-Marie Williams

“What happened to the deportee registry that they had once whereby they had to come register, inform of a change of address, is that still working and how well is it working?”

Godfrey Smith

“I believe that according to the Ministry of National Security, maybe half of the persons do the required reporting on Fridays at the required places. So I supposed not the highest level of success, but then again there are questions of how even with that in place, does it really act as a deterrent to some of these people for the committing of offences. The decision was taken as well at the Cabinet meeting that we will increase the number of Magistrates with one dedicated to clearing backlogs and one to dedicated to dealing quickly with new crimes that come before the court as well.”

Also invited to the “summit” was Opposition Leader Dean Barrow. As a former Minister of National Security, Barrow is no stranger to the problems of crime, punishment…and public pressure.

Dean Barrow, Leader of the Opposition

“Out of respect for the Council of Churches and of course out of concern for the situation which has absolutely spiralled out of control, but because the minister had already appointed a Crime Commission to which the Opposition had nominated a representative and because that Crime Commission had never met, I am at a lost to understand exactly what is happening now that has not been tried before and has not certainly been followed up on by the government. Nevertheless, I intend to keep an open mind and to see if perhaps some new serious initiatives will emerge as a consequence of today’s meeting.”