Opposition Leader calls crime wave “urban terrorism”
With the streets becoming more dangerous every day, the People’s United Party issued a release today about the alarming crime situation. The Leader of the Opposition, John Briceño, in an interview with News Five said that his party is willing to work with the government on a solution to decrease what he calls urban terrorism. And since the situation is out of control, he places the impotency of the police, squarely on the shoulders on the Minister of National Security, Carlos Perdomo. Briceño said it is time for Perdomo to step down.
John Briceño, Leader of the Opposition
“I am very concerned when you hear that another grenade being exploded in the streets of Belize City. We have innocent civilians getting killed and Belizeans getting hurt. As we understand, there are still seventeen more grenades out on the streets of Belize City that we are finding out now that BATSUB commented that they lost more of these grenades which makes it seventeen grenades out there in the streets. Today we are hearing at the B.D.F. camp, an m4 has gone missing. This is no longer gang violence that we’re talking about. We are talking about urban terrorism. Unfortunately, it seems that the prime minister and his government do not have a plan as to how is it that they are going to address these issues that are affecting the lives of all Belizeans. I want to recommend three things. One, that the government of Belize needs to call on the British government to come to Belize with the experts and the expertise to assist our security forces to be able to fight urban terrorism. Secondly, the Minister of National Security has not been able to address the crime and violence that that continues to escalate in our society. He needs to step down immediately. And thirdly, it is time for the prime minister to make the Crooks Report available to all Belizeans. We, as a country, cannot be seen to be negotiating with terrorists.”
Jose Sanchez
“Why do you think it is that the government is unable to come up with a proper plan or strategy to fight crime?”
John Briceño
“Well, sadly it is not an easy answer to come at crime. Over a year ago, when I was in the National Assembly, I came up with ten points that there are ways that we need to fight crime jointly. It’s not just the government or the political partners, but it also requires the society, the communities, the business community, all of is to jointly work at it. We have to be strengthening the police department, strengthening the DPP, but at the same time we need to be fighting the root causes of crime, which is poverty. And as we continue to go into a deeper recession, that the prime minister announced last October, it is just going to get worse. That is why I have said that we need to go into the areas where they are most effective, where we have these pockets of crime especially in south side Belize City. We have to invest more in education, we have to go in there and ensure that those kids are going to school. We have to go into those areas and put a stronger police presence where it is necessary. It is not an easy job; it’s a long term job but the government needs to get its act together.”
The Opposition Leader also called on the government to make good on a commitment to invest in a forensic lab.
