Citizens protest in Punta Gorda

The news reached us late, but the message is no less important. Last week citizens of Punta Gorda held a protest march through the streets of that southernmost town. What they were protesting, according to members of the Toledo Civil Society organisation, was the alarming growth of crime in P.G. and the inability of the police to deal with the problem. The march was not to criticise the police, however, as organisers maintain that the local law enforcers are not given the resources to do their job adequately, remaining short of weapons, transport and manpower. Although numerous government ministries were invited, the only official present was the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Rural Development. According to Les Wakefield, the second vice president of the Toledo group, the next demonstration will take place in Belmopan.