Family Services relocates to Commercial Center

The Family Services Division has a new home. This arm of the Ministry of Human Development and Women is now located on the second floor of the Commercial Center. At ceremonies this afternoon Minister of Human Development Dolores Balderamos Garcia commented that since legislation was passed making it mandatory to report child abuse, such reports have doubled. Reporting of sexual crimes against children has increased five-fold. She emphasized that to keep pace with the situation of abuse, there will be specialized training for the staff and there are plans for a community counseling center in Belize City. UNICEF representative Miguel Ugalde was on hand for the opening. UNICEF contributed ninety-nine thousand dollars to the new Family Services Division project.