Statistics say crime is down but victims might disagree
carlos perdomo
When it comes to statistics the police excel in their work as statisticians. The figures released in April point towards a decrease in crime fort eh first quarter of the year. According to the stats for January, February and March; rape, robbery, theft, burglary and murder are all down. Murder, unbelievably went down by fourteen percent when compared to the same period in 2009. Robbery went down by twenty-one point four percent, burglary down by thirty-one percent and theft, also down by a whopping thirty-five percent when compared to statistics from last year. Well, we’d like to suggest some new categories to the ComPol’s statistics. How about adding licensed weapons which are stolen or the amount of high powered weapons which are found on the streets, including grenades? But the categories which we are sure won’t make it on the list are “how much murders occur without convictions each year and how many people are injured by stray bullets”. Minister Carlos Perdomo discussed the fuzzy math or lack thereof when it comes to the number crunching and the perception about crime.
Carlos Perdomo, Minister of National Security
“The statistics are not cleaned. The statistics are straight. It is just that when you have a grenade or when you have a crazy man di shoot and shoot kids indiscriminately, the nature and type of crime increases that perception that you know we really gone to the dogs. So when you do give out the statistics, which are factual, the mind of the perception does not accept the fact of the statistics. Having said that, we need to have the statistics because a lot of the police work is based on that; in which area do you have most of this or that or that and then we respond. So it’s kind of important t always have the statistics.”
Marleni Cuellar
“I hear what you’re saying in terms of perception and actual numbers, but let me ask you as a citizen and as a minister, do you feel that there has been a worsening of the situation of crime in Belize?”
Carlos Perdomo
“I think in Belize City, but if you look some of those statistics are nationwide. In the other districts, they have the normal type of situations with crime. Last weekend we had the lee burrachitos di juck up each other and like that but yes, in Belize City there is definitely an increase.”
If you aren’t aware of the terminology, burrachitos means drunkards.
Minister Perdomo, we want to hear if your police are doing good, or getting worse.
Minister Perdomo, why are you lying to the Belizean people? Do you think anyone outside the readers of the poorly circulated “Guardian Newspaper” will ever believe that crime is down in this country? And even if half the crimes are not reported as most people believe that the Police Department will not solve them anyway, you will still not be able to come up with those statistics.
Law abiding people are tired of what has become a norm in this now crime ridden nation. Children are gunned down in the streets in broad daylight, a 7 year old girl may never walk again due to gunshot violence, another child, 10 years old was shot in the head on waterlane along with his mom and four adults. Two kids coming from school on the south side were shot and yet not a word from you. What? Aren’ t these crimes heinous enough for us to hear from the voice of maximum authority when it comes to crime. A little reassurance that Belize has not gone to the dogs would be nice. I hope that five years from now we are not in Haiti’s position.
Minister Perdomo, you need to listen to the people of this nation not just a few chosen constituents.
CRIME IS PLAGUING THIS COUNTRY. TOURISTS WILL SOON STAY AWAY COMPLETELY.
Believe me if they can stay away from parts of Mexico when they learned of the action of the Juarez Cartels, they can stay away from our country. If Tourism goes dry, we will all feel it.
We need a clean start and you can start with whats directly under your authority: THE POLICE DEPARTMENT! Please, CLEAN IT UP before more people are hurt, or before more criminals walk free due corrupt police acts. Give the remaining good Cops, more resources to work with even if we have to increase Sin Tax to get the extra cash. Give them more incentives, i.e. benefits, salary increase etc.
Perdomo & Jeffries are full of it?!!@.
you look pathetic with does crime stats. when all belizean know that crime is at it’s peak you bragg that crime has gone down where?
And he dah wah Minister…I feel ashame…he really cant talk…seriously!!!
Who are the Compol and Perdomo trying to fool? What is down…really down….is THE TRUST people have in the Police Department and Government in general. Why bother to report crimes when nothing ever happens. Ask yourself do you feel safe in your village, town, city or neibourhood? I certainly dont feel safe…
Follow the link below and read Godfrey Smith’s latest for his thoughts on the crime situation.
“Concede the City”
www.http://www.flashpointbelize.com/flashpointarticles/tabid/103/EntryId/116/Concede-the-City.aspx
Also, check out this other blog by Osmany Salas, more specifically for his thoughts on capital punishment:
http://sites.google.com/site/osmanysalas/articles/capital-punishment.
What kind of training do perdomo have to hold such high office?You act like somebody who would be more capable of been the Minister of the fence and not the Minister of Defense.
What kind of training do perdomo have to hold such high office?You act like somebody who would be more capable of been the Minister of the fence and not the Minister of Defense.Why even refer to you as the Minister of National Security when you can’t even protect the Belizean Citizens Social Security.
I agree with Minister Perdomo crime have decrease in his vicinity.With that said your vicinity do not represent the grassroot.
When listening to Minister Perdomo talk about crime is down, I believe he was only saying it in his mind but it accidentially came out loud. About twenty years ago if he had sat in that chair and made that same statement maybe the populace would have believed him as way back then we had a little trust in the leaders of our country. Minister Perdomo needs to do the right thing and remove himself from that portfolio and maybe get a job in a pre-school where he can tell fairy tale stories to the children; I am certain that children that age would welcome a good fairy tale. Minister Perdomo stop lying to us, we the citizens of this country are the ones who are suffering from the crimes and we know that crime is not down but is on the increase. When we start feeling safe to walk with our jewellery on and to park on the side of the street with our children in our vehicle just to eat an ice cream, when we do not have to turn our homes into a jailhouse by putting bars on the windows and doors and having guard dogs that we ourselves are afraid of and would never let them near our small children then and only then will we start believing that crime is on the decrease. Mr. Prime Minister as a lawyer I am certain that you see the loopholes in the laws lets start rewriting them we need our freedom again, we don’t need a whole lot of money to start cleaning up the country, just people who cares. I am one of them – I have young children and I want them to feel safe to play in the front yard and to sit in the living room and watch television and to sleep in their beds at night and not on the floor because they are afraid that they might be shot while they sleep. We need a new Minister of National Security who will actually do something to make our country safer.
Is it true that Perdomo has stopped all gun licenses, can anyone comment on that?
Cause that would be taking Guns out of innocent peoples hands that want to protect themselves.
I don’t like to nitpick but !!!! “The mind of the perception does not accept the fact of the statistics.”” !!!!! Not even Dean Barrow could understand that kind of word-twisting…Cheese and wilikins!!
What people are saying is true, those Statistics are only numbers and they can be manipulated to paint a different picture. In reality the actual situation is completely different and those living in the South Side can attest to it; or those that have a son killed, a relative being injured or maimed can tell you that crime is not down. However, let me tell you that Belizeans as a society are failing and that is why this situation has reached to this point. Our Police Department is corrupt, our Judicial system effectivity is highly questionable, but it is the people who are failing.
All or most of the Criminals have parents, sisters or brothers, cousins or nephews, and friends but none of those mentioned would have the cohones to report a planned assault or robery. Somebody had to know or knows who the criminals are, but due to relationship, do not report them. Only when Their son or family is killed, then you would see them crying or complaining on the evening news. The worst is hapenning now where inocents are being killed or maimed, but again somebody had to see or hear something that can lead to the apprehension of the responsible. Think about it South Side.
If you want to see crime really drop each of us need to do two things: 1) do not commit crimes and 2) report crimes when ever you see it!
“Ask not what the country (or Police) can do for you but ask what you can do for your country”!
minister perdomo is a joke , you need to get rid of this guy he is useless as far as crime in belize you need to bring back the hanging penalty do it now wait no longer belizeans wake up stand up get rid of perdomo and the prime minister before it is too late for you and yourkids what a shame to see how bad belize is doing i tell you people get rid of the prime minister and perdomo.
Burrachitos? wow. i think tacos should be worried about this. If i were Belizean, i’d tell Perdomo to take a run for the border.