Shyne Sympathizes with Haiti, but Supports Conscription

When asked for his thoughts on Belize joining the international community in aiding Haiti in this time of upheaval, Opposition Leader Shyne Barrow also used the opportunity to suggest that it be made a requirement for young men eighteen years and older to join the armed forces as part of national service.  He frames the following comment in the context of Belize’s frontier points, including the Sarstoon River.

Shyne Barrow

Shyne Barrow, Party Leader, U.D.P.

“Certainly, as a member of CARICOM, I sympathize with Haiti and whatever we could do, we should.  One of the things that brings me to, when we talk about crime and of the youths, one of the things we need to do is to make it mandatory that all eighteen-year-olds join the military, even if it is for a year or two and get that training and get that conditioning and rather than being out there lost on the trails, being absorbed by these bad actors and led astray, they can go into the military and serve and go to the Sarstoon and go to our borders and know what it means to be a nationalist, and know what it means to give your all for your country.  That is something that I highly recommend to the Minister of National Security and the Minister of Finance.”