A Hundred New Surveillance Cameras to Aid in Crime Fighting

The scourge of violent crimes across the country that continues to threaten citizen security remains an issue of national importance. The number of gang-related incidents that are being recorded on a daily basis is cause for concern and that enduring problem is not lost on the former Leader of the Opposition. Today he asked for an update from the Minister of Home Affairs on the rollout of government’s crime prevention strategy.

Shyne Barrow

Shyne Barrow, Area Representative, Mesopotamia

“Will the honorable Minister of Home Affairs and New Growth Industries please update this honorable house as to his implementation of the crime prevention strategy to combat the disturbing surge in violent crime and murder?”

Kareem Musa

Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs

“Those in the courts will recognize that we have begun to turn up the heat on gang members, fast-tracking and prioritizing prosecutions of gang members.  Our strategic meeting with officers at the Prosecution Branch was refreshing.  The pressing resolve was clearly welcomed and the good officers are more than ready to execute.  For a long time, gang members with outstanding fines and warrants skirted the consequences of their failure.  We have activated a program specifically to execute commitment warrants against these gang members.  We want them off the streets and we want them off now.  In this regard, we have also signed senior investigators to follow up and shore up cases involving gang members.  The detention and conviction rates will eventually make a life of crime less attractive.  This should make the parallel installation of social and rehabilitative programs more attractive.  We have every intention of working with those who want to turn their lives around, but we also have every intention of targeting, disabling and removing those who wish to terrorize and kill.  We realize that it will be a bumpy process but enough is enough. Our administration, Madam Speaker, has since engaged the CABEI offer to make Belizeans safer and our department stronger in the areas of infrastructure, personnel, and uploading our vision of utilizing innovation and technology as a key weapon in fighting crime.  In that spirit, Madam Speaker, we can announce that we will be securing from CABEI close to one hundred more CCTV cameras and six more mobile units to increase the eyes and reach of Belizean law enforcement.”