Youth Minister Comments on Shooting Death of Laddie Gillett

Laddie Gillett

This afternoon, funeral services were held for Laddie Gillett, who was laid to rest in the Cayo District. The fourteen-year-old student was shot last Wednesday night by Police Corporal Kareem Martinez as Gillett and a friend headed back to a resort where they were staying in Placencia. What was a fun-filled family vacation ended tragically when the teens, mistaken for criminals, were pursued by officers and a single fatal shot fired.  There has been outcry from across the country, as protests have been set up to express dissatisfaction surrounding the fatal shooting of the high school student. Minister of Youth, Kevin Bernard was among those who took to social media to express outrage about the incident. Today, this is what he had to say.

Kevin Bernard

Kevin Bernard, Minister of Youth

“I personally, I am outraged at the incident. I said it personally on my Facebook page and I know the department immediately when we heard of this, I reached out to our public relations officers at the DYS and we took out a press release. This person was shot and the officer who did it, yes the charges that is there based on the law is manslaughter; I personally feel that we should look at that. Personally I cannot do it, but I think the attorneys will have to fight that there is better and stronger justice. But not just for Laddie; there are many other young people who have faced this same thing. Police need to learn to do things right.  I applaud the minister for standing out and speaking out against this issue. I think that people want to see a fair justice in this issue, but from my perspective as well, I think we need to also see a fair issue for everybody who have been done wrong by the police or any authority across this country.”