PUP denounces balkanization of San Pedro and minister’s comments
Carolyn Trench Sandiford
By now you may have heard the extremely controversial remarks made last week Thursday by Manuel Heredia, the Minister of Tourism, about one potential plan to deal with crime on the island of Ambergris Caye. Heredia said that potential visitors should fill out a questionnaire at the water taxis asking them why they decided to go to San Pedro, where they would working and if these visitors had money to sustain themselves on the island. He said he knew that people would say it went against human rights and would be seen as taking away privileges of Creoles. It sounded to some like racial profiling and the statement was denounced by several attorneys on Friday and today the People’s United Party also denounced what they see as an affront to national unity.
Carolyn Trench Sandiford, Chairman, Peoples United Party
“On Saturday the National Party Council which is the second highest decision making arm of the party met. The party took a position that it is going to condemn a statement of the honorable Manuel Heredia, the Minister of Tourism and area rep for Belize Rural South. It is the view of the party that not only is the statement unconstitutional, it is undemocratic and it is also a racist statement in the sense in the sense that he alluded that people of Creole descent are basically having a monopoly on criminal behavior which is totally absurd. Secondly, he was also stating there was going to be a port of entry for Belizeans to enter another Belizean territory which, like we said, is unconstitutional. Our party is focused on national unity and nation building, and you cannot talk about balkanizing our country and at the same time talk about national unity. So certainly the party has no choice based on its mandate, based on its own constitution, based on its aims and objects to say that we condemn that statement. We again, reiterate we consider it unconstitutional, we consider it racist and we consider it anti nation building.”
One backward step after another. Leadership and governance that would lead to real development for Belize was what we required, not persecution and personal vendettas! So VERY dissapointing… so dissapointing! I am afraid that the current government administration can no longer undertake decisions to my benefit as a Belizean for the simple reason that they are showing time and again that they are incapable of doing so!
See…I knew something like this wasn’t too far along. Yea these so called uptight Sanpedranos think they are to good to be called Belizeans. Since San Pedro is an island, they think it’s not part of Belize….ha! The entire country is trying to deal with the crime situation and now that crime has hit close to home you’re hearing all sorts of cries.
WillBelize be the next South Africa.I wonder what the PM is saying about this
I’m not a Belizean but read the news often what I gather from Manuel Heredia statement not only it’s raciest it also says Manuel Heredia thinking is very limited, you will normally hear statement like this from officials who does not have idea how to develop and create programs. What he need to do is work with the law enforcement and community.
The politicians and certain individuals are taking what the Minister said out of context. He did not indicate anything racial. The situation of crime in San Pedro is out of hand. We need to protect this industry. We know who many of the criminals are. They have no interest in San Pedro other than crime. We should be able to pick them up and ship them off the island in order to protect the industry. What the Minister implied was that the minute you touch someone, they cry racial bias. The general law abiding citizens have their rights too. Should we allow criminals the right to abuse our freedom? Come on politicians (Carol) focus on the real problems and remove politics from this serious situation. It is the criminal that is anti nation building. Ask many of the potential investors here in San Pedro.
remove politics from this serious situation” you must be a San Pedrano. All you can think of is REMOVE REMOVE REMOVE. How about working with people and finding a solution. you are just like the minister
Peter, yoh damn crazy just like di Minista mi Bredda. We all should learn from home how to select our words before we shit it out our sucks ok. To me, you are more concerned about the Investors and the Tourism Industry, which is fine with me. You and everyone of us in Belize has to understand that we should have Law Enforcement in place to deter these criminals, and our Judicial System for dealing with criminals throughout our country. If they are not competent enough to do their jobs, then blame the politicians for hiring these people or not establishing adequate training for them. What the hell you think this is, a comunist country where we have to swallow all these derogatory remarks?. Peter, we have enough violence in Belize City to endanger the lives of our Water Taxi employees by requesting them to ask their passengers stupid questions. Whe di hell unu want do, “separate the Island from dih rest ah Belize?”. If the Minister think that this is the right thing to do, then set up the Immigration and Custom’s Department by the pier. You people over at that end of Belize don’t know a damn thing about racism my Bwai. Racism is a very deep subject and it penetrates in different areas. (i.e) The Forgotten South has lived through it ever since British Honduras became Belize and the same bulls–t is still going on and much, much lesser crimes. These Ministers need to shift gears and start doing the right thing for our country by enforcing sfety & policing and to use our Judicial System as expected, instead of exposing their ignorance and use people like Peter to cover up their nonsensical behaviour or wash their dirty laundry. My Bwai, people tired ah dis nonsense, if the Police think that they have “Reasonable doubt” to believe that criminals are or is about to commit a crime, then dah right deh dehn training comeen.
Dear Peter,
You are /seem to be a twin(in thinking), like the Minister! Please do not take this as a compliment because it certainly is not! If that is the kind of thinking that you have on the Island, then you need to be a seperate country, that institutes laws arbitrarily!
There is due process that is in place to take care of all criminal element! That will result in their apprehension, trial and put in the place where they belong! Jail! Does that process not work for you? If it does not, do the things that are done in a free, operative word is free, country to change due process!
What the Minister proposed is, to put it mildly, assinine! This is not Mexico, South Africa! Apartheid! Where you needed a pass to go from one homeland to another! Do you think that would work in Belize? Really? I know that there are some investors, who I know you are in defense of at the perils of trampling on your own Belizeans, who would like to see that plan come to fruition! You know what would happen? They, the investors, would hijack that process and lo and behold, we have a new South Africa(Apartheid)!
My advice to you is to encourage others to deviate from that type of thinking. Secondly, there are other ways to take care of these problems. Remember that there is a wider society that is observant and vigilant.
Manuel Heredia have single handedly voiced the mentality and the through thoughts and attitude of many sanpedro hispanic residents, especially the older ones.
I cant believe a “Minister” would make a comment like this, but again typical San Pedrano official mentality……..acting like crabs walking backwards instead of making a point and moving forward.
I think by now we can expect this verbal behavior from him from what he has already stated in the past, placing his foot in his mouth…literally……
Because you can not leave from the Island by feet or by bus, it really makes sense that anybody travels to San Pedro or Caye Caulker has at least a ticket to travel back to the mainland. This make sense and has nothing to do with gender, race or nationality.
I didn’t know that we have KKK in Belize now.Don’t bring that racist … to Belize Tourism Minister.
Why you all acting like San Pedro is better than any part of the Jewel?Cut that shit out my Belizean Peeps.
Let’s name the ministers who should step down.. Barrow, Heredia, Faber, Erlington,
And the list can go on and on.. and it’s a true saying.. one spoil apple destroy the entire basket and this is being back up by the leader himself! such a disgrace to the Belizean People. Belize should unite and stand tall.. the world is watching us.. peace & love..
First of all talking about ethnicity is never an easy topic and always a very sensitive one.. However, I believe the time has come for belize to sit down with the entire country and put some perspective on this.It is important to note that it is NOT the country of Belize City but the country of Belize which includes Corozal, Orange Walk, Caye Caulker, Cayo, Dangriga and Toledo who I am sure share the same feeling of insecuirty. Now, we need to be real about the problem and sincere about it and stop making the criminal elements see themselves like victims because instead of helping our people regain ambition and hardwrok we make them feel that they are victims and its right for them to do so. Steal and be lazy and it does not matter what ethnic group. If we want to help our fellow belizeans and be REAL about it then just visit the penitentionary to see who is the majority there. NOW, to be fair to the minister I believe that what San Pedro has constructed is remarkable.. A first class tourism destination where thousands of belizeans get employed NOT only san pedranos but the majority of them from All of Belize. Do not forget that in return these thousands send money to their families throughout the country of Belize to sustain their children and families. Do we hardworking and tax paying individuals not have a right to protect our bread and butter that we work so hard for during many years for it to be destroyed in a short time and have thousands suffer for a few criminal elements.. There needs to be control even though its not popular decision or we will loose this industry in a time where competition is more agressive for destinations to visit. I beleieve he was brave and his duty to protect his constituency, hardworking belizeans and their families and a sensitive industry that took years to build. Is it fair especially if government cannot solve it and where we do not want to live like another belize city.. think about it but a democracy is where the majoirty should win and not the majoirty in the country of belize city but Belize…
we need to take care of the goose with the golden eggs so be it. Also what is the big deal to have some form of identity on you to makes this damn place a better place. San Pedro provides for the entire country, lets face and lets protect it. If you have nothing to hide why get so carried away.
As for the minister remarks he did not mean it in such a bad way, the media wants attention and they put it the way they want it.
I did not know that black people have a monopoly on crime.It seems like the natives of San Pedro think so.I was born in Belize.San Pedro belongs to me as much as it belongs to you.I do not need a permit to travel in my own country or a round trip ticket.I am not a second class citizen.
Peter i think u need 2 speak 4 urself.u r a racise just like the minister.
@ Ana: ‘As for the minister remarks he did not mean it in such a bad way, the media wants attention and they put it the way they want it.’ Maybe it;s not the media putting it in a bad way. Maybe it was just what was said. “We see many unwanted persons on the island many times and again I have said let us ask the water taxis for a manifest that will probably question the people not really in a rude way but “Where will you be working? Why did you come to San Pedro? Do you have money to sustain yourself in the meantime?” Now how do you distinguish an ‘unwanted person’? By their ethnicity, colour, dress, or even by their sex? Then where do we stop in the rest of the country – at the borders, the terminals, and ask every ‘unwanted person’ what they are doing in Belize City/Cayo/Corozal?
Mr. Heredia should be quizzed about his intentions whenever he want to go to another part of Belize. I am sure some of the “creoles” from Belize woulod surely like to ask him where he is hiding his “millions” so they can help themselves to it. Seems he is the only one with a right to move freely in his own country. Maybe he can claim independence for his private property and declare it a sovereign state and then he can stop the creoles from entering. All this sounds stupid right. Exactly what I think about the ridiculous comments.
I believe San Pedro is a for all Belizeans but when crimes are at the rise the local people need to do something. Just like when a person is in need for medical attention they go to San Pedro, nothing wrong with that. But when you want to visit a place just commit crime then that is a problem. San Pedro keep going and lets stop the crime, we have to start somewhere and why not San Pedro!!!! Come on Belize lets wake up and lets deal with these criminals. The manifest is something I am totally in favor. San Pedro just do it.
First of all everyone is interpreting this in the wrong way, Minister Heredia used the term Creole to make a point, I grew up here on the island in the golden days, when we could walk the streets at night and not worry about being robbed or raped, we ran the streets care free. The racist are the ones who are making it that way and using only that part of his speech. I do believe that there should be a manifesto on names of persons arriving to San Pedro and Caye Caulker and any other island so that the police can know on a day to day basis how many persons are on the island. The first time I heard Supa-G song (4 men) no one said it was racism towards the Spanish, white man, chine man….. oh no, no one said it. Be you whatever race you are, how in the world are you gonna eat, and sleep on a island without work for 6months…hustling?…..better name for hustling, stealing, rapping?? Look at the chines stores that get robbed these men and women work hard stand all day in front of that stove making food to earn a living and at the end of the day just to get robbed and have the police show up 2 hours later to see what happened when the station is only 5 minutes away from the grocery. My people, my people lets stop this madness of criticizing and pointing fingers lets do something for the entire country and lessen crime in our beautiful country Belize.
Ana: San Pedro people are straight racist lets stop beating around the bush,hence the reason that clung Heradia made that stupid coment.
I AM A VICTIM OF HOME INVASION ON THE ISLAND AND I FEEL AS IF THIS IS A SLAP IN THE FACE. THIS JUST PROVE TO ME ONCE AGAIN THAT THE CRIMINALS HAVE MORE RIGHTS THAN US. YOU ALL SHOULD SHUT UP AND LOOK AT WHAT ALL THE CITIZENS OF SAN PEDRO ARE WILLING TO DO TO PROTECT OUR LIVES AND OUR FUTURE. ALL WE DO IS FIGHT AND THAT IS ONE OF THE MANY REASONS WHY WE ARE WHERE WE ARE TODAY. LET US COME TOGETHER AS A NATION AND FIND A WAY TO PREVENT CRIME NOT ONLY IN SAN PEDRO BUT IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY OF BELIZE.
first of all my belizean brothers and sisters, all a wi dah one. my granny on mother side was from honduras, and granpa from monkey riva. on fathers side also mixed with some spanish and father clear complexion belizean by birth. i bawn and growup dah ladyville, neva know wha thing bout racism till i moved to the USA 13 years ago. yes i am a clear complexion belizean, and i get profilled by my own belizeans because of my skin color. the point im trying to make is that webster dictionary says a creole is a mixture of thats right, African and European People. Now, thats what makes my belize special, are all mixed up its great. lets not jump at race for everything. You can not force people to tell you where they are going or staying on san pedro, but where crime and crime prevention is concerned you should be able to at least check ID and ask a few questions. dont we have check points sometimes on the road, and dont the police ask you where you are heading. this is not only about san pedro, its about BELIZE as one person said before. We cant just keep sending people to jail, and we also cant let them walk away for lack of evidence. Last note my people, we need to stop depending on the government for handouts. Lets put in our fair share of the work, stop ask the ministers fu things, they dont own it, we do as belizeans. you give them too much power when we do that.
The Minister is not just responsible for the safety of people from San Pedro.He is the Minister of Tourism which means the entire 8’867square miles.As a result he should be focusing on the safety of all Belizeans.He wasn’t sworn in to protect only the people of La Isla Bonita.And the constitution that Govern’s the people of San Pedro applies to every Belizean.Stop acting like a KKK Minister and stop dividing the people because you might be the next victim.
We all would love to live in a crime free world.Criminals are everywhere.SP is not special.Crime is a part of daily living.Let us fight crime,and not each other,but when you say crime and creole in the same sentence I am offended.I am creole , but I am not a criminal.I have equal rights in SP.The same rights the spanish who was born there have.The same way the spanish people who was born in SP would have in Belize City.How would you feel if every time you come to Belize you would have to fill out papers.You guys are not special.Human Rights is for everyone,even criminals.When people commit crime we have a system to deal with them,but you can not look at a person and say you can not come here because of this or that reason.You are not better than other Belizeans.