Curfew will require cooperation of parents

It was first introduced in 1999 and brought back five years later for a repeat performance. Beginning next weekend the night time curfew for Belize City children will make its third run. Here’s what parents can expect.

Denbigh Yorke, Executive Director, NOPCAN
“The curfew is not to penalise children; it’s not to penalise families. As a matter of fact, it’s not somewhat to deprive anybody of their freedom of movement or association.”

Kendra Griffith, Reporting
According to Executive Director of NOPCAN, Denbigh Yorke, the primary reason for the impending curfew is to keep children out of harm’s way and on the straight and narrow.

Denbigh Yorke
“We consider the fact that some of the crimes that are being committed are being committed by children fifteen and above and as such we are aware that with school out many of the children may be inclined to want to be influenced by some of the older children to be on the streets. We believe therefore that the curfew, having them not being able to be on the street after eight o’clock in the night is a very good way of helping parents to better control the children, better able to supervise them, and as a result ensure their protection and their safety.”

As of next Friday, July thirteenth, representatives of the Human Development Department will be conducting patrols along with the police to ensure that if children under sixteen years old are out in public between the hours of eight p.m. and six a.m. they are in the care of an adult.

Denbigh Yorke
“If a child is found on the streets after the curfew or during the curfew time, that child is going to be taken to where he or she lives and an effort will be made to locate the parent. If after a second time, not being able to find the parent or so, then that child is going to be kept in care and care may mean a place which is designated by the Human Services where the children could be protected.”

NOPCAN will also be giving out pamphlets to parents which contain information on how the curfew will work and tips on what they can do to keep children safe inside and outside the home.

Denbigh Yorke
“Very many times, the people who prey on children or who are potential abusers are not necessarily strangers from the community. The majority of potential abusers are from right within the home, so when we sought to implement a curfew we are also taking into consideration that if you are keeping children off the streets then you might also be putting them in the hands of the perpetrators, so we want to be able to ensure that parents are well informed within the home as to what to do, the subtleties, to be sensitive to what is going on around them.”

“One of the things that we want to do is first and foremost to say to parents, have a meeting, like a family meeting, so we want to sensitise the children, you want to help them to be aware of what the expectations are. You want to sit down with them and come up with what are the subtleties of perpetrators or those who may prey upon them, you want them to come up with ideas of how they can keep themselves safe, children have a tremendous amount of ideas.”

The curfew will remain in effect for an indefinite period. Kendra Griffith reporting for News Five.