Mayor Bradley on Crime…

Darrell Bradley

The recent spate of crime in Belize City, particularly the unabated rash of gun violence, is cause for great concern and while the Belize Police Department has formulated a plan of action to deal with the problem, the Belize City Council is looking closely at the socioeconomic impact that it is having on the Old Capital.  Mayor Bradley says that his administration is fully aware of the issue and is also active in the enforcement of quality of life crimes.

Darrell Bradley, Belize City Mayor

“It affects people’s sense of security their ability to meaningfully engage with their community, so this is something I think all energies and all priority needs to be placed on really controlling our crime situation. I have often time said that I think that crime is our biggest challenge to national development. And every aspect and every priority and resource has to be put towards keeping under control our crime situation. Nothing else would work if people are fearful of going outside of their homes. And I can’t be an effective mayor if that is the worry of residents of our city. So in relation to the municipality, we are doing our part to try and support the efforts of the police, we are doing apart in terms of the quality of life kinds of crime which fall within our jurisdiction, we are trying to have an impact there, and we are trying to support the efforts of the N.G.O. community,  Restore Belize and other stakeholders whose chief responsibility it is to provide the kind of social service and network that would see people not having to be forced into a life of crime. So that has to be a priority and it has to be something and it is something that bothers me on a daily basis as mayor.”