Anglican Bishop Speaks on Crime Situation

Philip Wright

The recent spike in gun violence in the Old Capital claimed the lives of two innocent children in two separate incidents. Five-year-old Kia Herbert was fatally shot on Tuesday as she was sleeping at her home on Pitter Street. On Sunday, four-year-old Dominic Rhamdas was fast asleep at his King’s Park area home when the gunman released a barrage of bullets at him and his mother and stepfather. Rhamdas died a day later. The murders of the two children and five others who were killed in a span of forty-eight hours, infuriated Belizeans countrywide and ultimately led to the Government declaring a state of emergency. Bishop Philip Wright of the Anglican Diocese reflected on the past few days when the streets were awash with blood. 

Bishop Philip Wright, Anglican Diocese

“Every time it flares up like this we almost go ballistic in terms of our reaction but I think as a society we have to constantly look at ourselves and say what are we not doing right why we continue to be vexed with these sorts of issues for the past few days. It is heart rending to be honest. As a religious leader I would hope the solution and I believe the solution lies in the quality of relationship we are prepared to share with each other. I do believe as a Christian all those relationships are grounded with our relationship with God. Perhaps if people do draw neared to their faith, to their Gods and to what that God requires from us in terms of how we ought to live with each other maybe we will start to see some change. In addition to the other things that we need to do but speaking strictly as a religious person I think it is a matter for the human heart.”