Musa Responds to P.M. Briceño’s U.N. General Assembly Comments on Homicide in Belize

Kareem Musa

John Briceño

Minister Musa also responded to questions about the Prime Minister’s comments to the United Nations General Assembly regarding homicides in Belize. Prime Minister Briceño told the U.N. General Assembly that homicides are on the rise in Belize. The comment stands out, because records suggest that the homicide rate to date, for 2022, is below the yearly average. So, did the Prime Minister misspeak?

Reporter

“We took note of the fact that he Prime Minister went to the UN General Assembly and said homicides are up, when our informal tracking of it said a different picture. Did he maybe misspeak or presented a wrong picture to the rest of the international community of crime in Belize right now?”

Kareem Musa

“In terms of homicides, you can always say it has been up. Like I said, in 2012 one hundred and forty-eight murders is a lot of murders. We don’t want to even be close to that year. But, at the same time we have t acknowledge that it is up. Crime is up. It is not as high as it was under the last administration and we have a lot of work to do to turn back and walk back how far we have gone down this rabbit hole. I believe we have been doing a great job at that. Certainly, it might not be to the satisfaction of everybody especially the U.D.P. But, at the same time we can see where progress is being made. But, at the same time like I said, every single Belizean life lost is one too many.”