Why Aren’t Known Gang Members Charged for Gang Affiliation

Dean Barrow

P.M. Barrow during that press conference also conceded that the police department, as well as the local media, is very much familiar with the names of well-known gang members and leaders.  Despite there being legislation allowing for the prosecution of known gang affiliates and the fact that it is common knowledge who they are, charges aren’t being brought against these individuals for their involvement in gang activity. The P.M. questioned whether the police department is afraid of charging these men and not being able to prove conclusively their involvement with the gangs.

Prime Minister Dean Barrow

“Apart from the question of numbers, the police and ourselves discussed how, on a longer term basis, we can remove these people from the equation.  I’m saying that we have passed all sorts of laws, there is an offense on the statute book that has been there for years.  We’ve tried to tweak it, we’ve tried to make it more robust but that essentially says membership in a gang is illegal.  Now, somebody might tell me or I might ask the question, Mr. Wade says who are these gang people?  Those in Belize City, in the media in Belize City, know who the players are; the police know who the players are.  There may be difficulties from an evidentiary point of view but we keep referring to these people as gang members and affiliates, how come we’ve never charged any of them with the offence of being a member or a leader of a gang?  Are we afraid that we will go to court and we won’t be able to prove the case and that will be some sort of a moral victory?  Well we’ve got to try at least.  I am now learning that one of the persons being detained will be charged with some offence of causing public terror.”