Belize Rural South Area Representative Says Justice System to Be Strengthened  

Andre Perez

While those in authority have pledged the proverbial – leaving no stone unturned – to bring those responsible to justice, some in the tourism industry have expressed concern that because the murder conviction rate in Belize is low, many times people who are charged for murders and manslaughter are never convicted and end up walking away as free men. Strengthening of the judiciary is another area that cabinet is looking at.

Andre Perez, Area Representative, Belize Rural South

“We do recognize as a government and as a Cabinet we’ve discussed that there are issue there that we need to strengthen in the judiciary system, and we are working on that as well. But at this point in time, at this very moment, this terrible incident that is so glaring that has reverberated across the whole country and including what has happened in Belmopan and Belize City in the holidays when it should have been a time of family, of getting together to prepare ourselves in a more renewed efforts to deal with 2023. All of this exposes themselves that we are overburdened as a police department – the judiciary system – and yes, indeed the conviction rate is very low. These are concerns that we have but we from the elected bodies are committed to doing these things that bring justice. And I think that this incident that happened at the end of the year certainly can be taken as, one, a message that we follow that conviction and find those culprits guilty and that they are dealt with accordingly.”