Curfew for children in Belize City and Dangriga

It was a suggestion made over and over at the Children’s Summit and an action already adopted by concerned citizens in Dangriga. Today the Minister of Human Development and Youth signed a statutory instrument instituting a curfew for Belize City and Dangriga. When it takes effect in the next few days children 16 and under will no longer be permitted to be on the streets after 8 p.m. unless accompanied by a parent or guardian. If police do pick up a child for violating the curfew, which lasts until 6 a.m., the parent or guardian will face charges. However, Minister Dolores Balderamos Garcia says the government wants to emphasize the need for cooperation rather than punishment.

Dolores Balderamos Garcia, Minister of Human Development

“There is a penalty but I would like to stress that we are calling on the community to participate with the government, the police department, the Ministry of Human Development as a partnership to make sure that this does not happen; so that we don’t have to stress the penalty but that we ask everyone to work together to make sure that we protect our children. I think it is timely and government is very serious.”

The move, which may seem extreme, is intended to curb the incidents of juvenile violence as well as indecent assaults against minors.