Police Minister ready for multifaceted, administrative duties

doug singh

Senator and newly appointed Police Minister, Doug Singh,  faced the press for the first time today as he stepped up to the podium at the Prime Minister’s press conference. It’s Singh’s first day on the job to tackle the biggest crisis facing the government, but is he up to Restore Belize? News Five asked Singh if he would be different from his predecessors and have a ‘hands on’ approach with the police department.

Doug Singh, Minister of Police

“My responsibility is an administrative responsibility. And I have to act accordingly. There must be some level of interference but I think interference has to be constructive and not destructive. So the entire idea is to work with the police department to ensure that we get the work and the kind of results that we expect. So in no way do we expect this to be counterproductive.”

Jose Sanchez

“But where will your presence be felt in terms of being constructive? Is there some part of the Crooks report, something…?

Doug Singh

“I’m hoping that my presence will be felt in the improvement of the crime situation on the streets.”

Jose Sanchez

“With all the solutions presented so far, which ones are your first ones that you will attend to?”

Doug Singh

“Well, the solutions are multifaceted and there are certain areas that are restricted to certain fields. For example, police reformation and restructuring. That is one particular area that directly impacts on the ministry that I’m involved with so certainly that is the area that we will have emphasis on.”

Jose Sanchez

“How long do you foresee Operation Jaguar in effect? It is seen as a short term solution.”

Doug Singh

“Really as long as necessary. That cannot continue on its own. As the Prime Minister mentioned, the Restore Belize is multifaceted; we cannot continue with a kind of repressive program so to speak in certain areas without actually putting the rest of things in place that will ensure an overall reduction in crime over a sustainable period. So it will continue, certainly in the short term but I can’t give you a date when with it will stop. But it is short term.”