Police to Enforce New Law on Lighting of Fires

Chester Williams

A new statutory instrument signed on April twentieth prohibits the lighting of fires during the State of Emergency. Concerns grew after the number of fires recorded across the country soared to one hundred and eighty-six. This continues to pose serious health and safety issues, especially for Belizeans living in the Cayo District, including Belmopan, where thick smoke wafts across the area all day. The Belize Police Department has been tasked in prosecuting persons who set fires and according to Commissioner Chester Williams; while the department is currently overwhelmed they have no option but to enforce this new law.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“You would know that we are already overwhelmed with the state of emergency and the other crime situation but as police officers we have a job to do by virtue of the regulation, we have been tasked to ensure enforcement and so what we’re doing is we will see how we can work in tangent with forestry department with a view to look at the areas where these fires are and then establishing who cause the fire is another story because you will see that many of the fires we are seeing around are bush fires. Sometimes a simple thing could cause a bush fire, a man goes to the forest and smokes a cigarette and then drop the butt there and that stays and eventually catches. I know that bush fire can also be ignited by the sun spotting or reflecting on glass. So there are several factors that do cause bush fire. But in instances where we know who are the persons who cause the fire then we will prosecute them. That’s what the law requires us to do.”