San Ignacio & Santa Elena join protest against violence
The message against crime was crystal clear in Belize City where there was outpouring support for the family of the fallen eight year old All Saints student and the public outrage was felt across the country. In the northern districts, a few businesses closed, so did in Dangriga. But in the west, which has experienced its share of violence, business came to a halt in a massive show of support both in Benque Viejo and in San Ignacio. News Five’s Jose Sanchez reports from San Ignacio.
Jose Sanchez, Reporting
Shutters were pulled down, doors locked, some even padlocked. Businesses of every variety in the twin towns were closed; only a handful remained open. The mayor of the twin towns said that almost eighty percent of businesses were closed.
John August, Jr., Mayor, San Ignacio/Santa Elena
“I was a bit surprised this morning when I was told that most businesses downtown San Ignacio and in Santa Elena were closed. But I guess the level of frustration with crime in our country has reached to this stage and we noticed that most of the business people here are in solidarity. And it is affecting business here in San Ignacio and Santa Elena because most of our grocery stores and other major stores are closed today noh. I took a drive around this morning and I would say about seventy-five percent of the businesses in this municipality are closed today.”
Jose Sanchez
“How successful has it been?”
Edward Cano, Councilor, San Ignacio/Santa Elena Town
“Well really, the chiney community close their doors, the Hindus, the majority of the shops in San Ignacio close their doors for today noh.”
The mass lockdown came from concerned businesses along with the gentle prodding of one town councilor who had been walking from door to door requesting a shutdown.
Edward Cano
“I mi deh out in town to try to convince the people to close their doors for the solidarity for the same victim weh get shot. Really, I try encourage people to make they close their doors because really we noh want make this thing continue especially inna the Cayo area. Really it’s so sad. It hurts the family and it could be somebody else, it could be we.”
According Herbert Gayle’s Male Social Participation in Violence Research San Ignacio is behind Belize City as a place of violent crime. Chinese national Zhen Zhennong was killed in Santa Elena on Mother’s Day while she carried her six month old Yan Yu on her back. And in June, Marlon Rivera was murdered during a double shooting; his friend, Dean Dougal, was shot several times, including a bullet to his neck. Dean was at the throes of death in his hospital bed, but like the Phoenix, this family man has risen from the ashes.
Dean Dougal, Survived Shooting
“My friend called me after the club and he was sitting talking and this guy came from behind and just start shoot. When I woke up three days after, they told me my friend had died. I mi get shot up, but I di heal now. I di go through the healing and only the arm and I still got a lot of bullet in me. When I get blood, they wah take it out because I mi loose wah lot of blood.”
Jose Sanchez
“It seems like a miracle you survived. The last time we saw you, you were in a hospital bed and you still managed to point out the shooter who shot you and your friend.”
“Yeah and I thank god for that because if I didn’t point him out, ih woulda mi get away because ih get away with one murder already.”
The New Officer Commanding the Cayo Formation, Superintendent Chester Williams, is tasked to rehabilitate San Ignacio.
Sr. Supt. Chester Williams, O.C., Cayo Police Formation
“Yes statistically that is the reality in terms of San Ignacio being behind Belize as it pertains to violent crimes in the country. But I must say that my predecessor, Mister Wade, he was doing an excellent job. I took over from him at the end of July this year and basically what I am doing is just following up on what Mister Wade has started and looking at new initiatives that I believe will be able to help the police in succeeding in the Cayo area.”
John August Jr.
“I know a lot of people will say that it’s the police, it’s the Prime Minister’s job to find an answer, but I believe—my personal opinion is that it’s everybody’s job to find a solution to the crime problem we have in this country today. It’s not only up to one department or one man alone. The society has to realize that we have a problem and we need to find ways in how we can correct the problem. It’s a major, major crisis affecting our country.”
Dean Dougal
“I have a kid too. This dah my son and if anybody woulda kill him, I don’t know how I woulda feel. And I think that we need to deal with the murder because the murder is outa control. If you listen to my voice, I just di get it back from my accident.”
Keisha Bahador, Dougal’s common-law-wife
“You know, a family is united and they come together. He is the head of the family and if we woulda mi lose him, they mi wah grow up without wahn father because fi he love they can’t replace. Other man wah come but they noh wahn love yo children as much as weh they own father wah love them. We almost lost that and ih real scary. Once yo done gone through it then yo wah know how ih feel. It’s rough. I ‘fraid. You watch the news every night and if they coulda mi try kill he front ah hundred and hundred a people middle ah the town, I expect anything you know. So I take a lot of precautions now. So I don’t really go out a lot as I used to.”
Jose Sanchez
“As a mother and as a wife, what do you think can be done to curb the violence? What do you think?”
Keisha Bahador
“Well I think it start at home you know. From the children they are small; you have to teach them right from wrong. You have to give your child a lot of attention and try to teach them from they’re small because it really start at home because when they done grow, you can’t help them. “
While the children are still impressionable, they can be taught to respect life and country. Reporting for News Five, Jose Sanchez.
Mr(s) August & Cano , thanks to both of you for stepping up & facing the fact that the violence is not a Belize City problem, the country is hemorrhaging. It sounds like Cano did a lot of the arm twisting, good for him, we need the people who are in charge to get off their backsides & face their constituents & not just give lip service when they are looking for votes.
I am so proud to see you all step up as Belizeans first, that’s the Belize that I remember & it is important that this generation see that we are capable of working together for the common good. Please keep pushing.
Good, good, good, keep the shops close people.
Now i know recovery from this madness in belize is possible.
Good job Cayo people, showing solidarity.
am very proud of all business owner of the twin towns keep up we wil do it this must coem to and end and if we have to shut down again we will we have feeling and we love each other no matter if from PG Corozal we r all belizean we da Belize,this is not a party or color issue its our Belizeans united and proud let keep Belize free
well thanks for the busiiness that close along with us in cayo since we’re feeling that our sympaty with the crime victims is a show of solidarity and unity that we need to show the gov. that we need answers about how, or what he plans to do with the crime escalating more than ever.
It is our resposibility as Belizean to take a stand and be united in fighting this crime problem in our country, but again I will always stand to my word that parents need to make a diffrence, I know that we have some families where parents cannot control a fiftheen year old, this is nonsense, if parents can’t control their kids, who will!!!
It is the suty of parents to raise children with high values, respect for themselves and others,
to me it’s a poor excuse, why parents allow their children to control them?????
Again we the poeple can change this place and stop this madness!
Good will always overcome evil…………
and Belize is spelled with initial caps………..MADD/SURREALIST………… if you had respect for Belize you would know that.
Way to go Cayo, let’s not forget the Mother’s Day shooting at Alwin’s. ENOUGH!
Great move Cayo. Nuff Respect! Kudos to Mr Edward Cano for almost single handedly, plead with the businesses to support this very important move.
I am an American who has been coming to Belize (San Ignacio) for over 10 yrs. I can not get over the crime that is happening. Numerous families and business’s are being affected, but more importantly the children. Good God, the Government better step up. What are they doing anyway? Stealing from the people, thats what I say. They better clamp down on business’s and American investor’s that are not paying the GST!!!!!!!! Take my word for it.
i think all does who kill should be killed and not let out they come out and do the same thing again or they do worse thing
It’s time for a change n inorder 2 have a change we need to stand up n voice our opinions since the government is not doing his job we the people must step out and show action. It needs 2 start some how…Bcz its 2 much. One thing dat came 2 my mind just now — n i guess God is the 1 dat place it in my heart 2 share wit u guys is dat all these things are happenin bcaz it is already writing. In the Bible it is stated and after all these things have taken place the lord will come for his people. So belizeans its time to make a change in our lifes don’t let satan fool u!