CEO on Combating Gang Violence

Over fifty purported gang members were incarcerated inside the Belize Central Prison during the recent Southside State of Emergency. CEO Murillo has seen various SOE’s over the years. He spoke about the core issues that need to be addressed to effectively tackle the issue of gang violence.

Virgillio Murillo

Virgillio Murillo, CEO, Kolbe Foundation

“We keep hearing of all these States of Emergency. We keep hearing of lack of jobs, not being able to get employment, wanting job to do farming or build a house or those kinds of things. We certainly know that when to come to these guys a lot of it hinges of them not having proper education. Um, when we analyze it almost ninety percent of them come with second form or lower educational level. So, certainly education is one. Certainly, lack of employment opportunity is another one because of stigma. I understand that the business community is very skeptical of hiring them because of their past. Some of them have rap sheets, no doubt about it, having been engaged in numerous robberies, numerous burglaries. And, the way the criminal justice system works you need to have evidence. People could literally know that you did it, because there is not evidence to convict them, you don’t.”