The Year of Murder; 99 murders and counting so far for 2010
There’s one more day to end September, the deadliest month so far this year and before it does another homicide has been added to the long and growing list. In fact, 2010 is likely to have the distinction of the year with the highest number of murders the country has ever seen. With three months to go, our database shows that there have already been ninety-nine murders recorded including this morning’s homicide; that’s twenty-three more than last year’s tally at the end of September. That figure has already surpassed the total number of homicides for 2009 by two. What’s more disturbing is that the countrywide statistics include at least thirteen minors between the ages of eight to seventeen who lost their lives in the violent streak.
Looking at the numbers from a quarterly standpoint, at the end of March, the murder count was at twenty-four, reflecting a decrease when compared to the first quarter of 2009, which stood at twenty-nine. The year started out with six killings in January, and then nine in both February and March. And the numbers would continue to grow; in the second quarter of 2010, twenty-nine more homicides were added to the list. That brought the total to fifty-two, almost catching up with the previous year which had fifty-three at the end of June. As for the individual months, April, May and June of 2009 had eight murders each while this year the totals were higher with ten in both April and May and nine in June. It was the midpoint of the year and already residents were crying out against spiraling crime, not knowing that in the coming months, it would only get worse. That brings us to the third quarter and you might want to sit down for this one because the numbers have almost doubled. There have been a whopping forty-seven murders in the past three months, compared to twenty-three in the same period last year. And to emphasize how far the crime situation has gone over the past decade, in the year 2000, the total number of murders for the entire year was only forty-two. There were thirteen homicides in July, fifteen in August and nineteen in September. Of note is that the death of Sherlock Syfox, whose body was recovered from the sea on Sunday, has not been counted as a murder, but his family believes he was killed. Also, the Rash children from Toledo, Benjamin and Onelia, have still not been found, after being missing for almost a month.
Channel 5,
Please keep up the good work in your reporting and in your follow up stories.
Thank You !
Operation Jaguar has been too feeble, too few results, too little force applied against the mafiosos.
WAT A SHAME SOMETHING MUST BE DONE AND DONE SOON MAY THEY HAVE TO FORM A DEATH SQUAD AND GET RID OF bELIZE TROUBLE MAKERS
We can only hope that the added patrols & some of the laws passed & amended recently can reverse this tide.
Wow!
Was not aware of all that!
So who will be the famous one to make it 100?
Ooops..I hope it will not be me.
I hear footsteps… is it in my mind or …it IS outside my house!!!
In this which is my beloved country,my jewel, now we are at the mercy of God.
I wish it was God`s footsteps I was hearing out there, better I out the lights and go hide under my bed… good night people.
And this week a woman went missing, no way of telling what will be her out come.
The year is not over yet.
march belizeans march put this pm on a plane to miami lets get rid of this gov useless useless as tits on a bull this gov. has got to go i told you all a year ago thing s were going to get worse and so said so done people we cant allow it to go anymore the carnage is way way out of control and we have a gov. thats impotent to do anything about it maybe next year will be 200 more dead you might be the next victim or me we cant wait around anymore .
GUYS I AM ASKING THE LORD TO SPRED HIS LOVING ARMS OVER THIS COUNTRY BLESS US FATHER GIVE US PEACE
That is crazy, i cannot help but feel like we still have a ways to go. I think that really it’s more than that, since we cannot count bodies found who’s cause if death was unconfirmed due to “advanced state of decomposition” this is a horrible year for poor Belize!
I think we pass 100 a long time ago…there was the body that was fish out over the weekend by foreshore, though a cause of death has not yet been determine many believe that the guy was killed. There is the Rash children in Toledo who still hasn’t been found as yet, a now the young lady Samantha Foreman is missing. Its a Bloody 2010 & we still have 3 more months to go.
In the end the big question will be, What have we done for others?
Judgment is for all.
Bloody city Bloody town them turn Belize in a cow boy city , we need the sheriff to step up fight fire with fire and get rid off the out laws
How many times have i said on this blog that nothing is going to change until the Belizean Citizens start holding these incompitent leaders responsible.We are the ones who are allowing these politicians to treat us like …..As a result we all need to take some blame for what is happening in the jewel.What measures has Mr Barrow implemented to decrease crime in the jewel after little Eyannie’s death?NADA,I mean nothing.
How many times have i said on this blog that nothing is going to change until the Belizean Citizens start holding these incompitent leaders responsible.We are the ones who are allowing these politicians to treat us like …..As a result we all need to take some blame for what is happening in the jewel.What measures has Mr Barrow implemented to decrease crime in the jewel after little Eyannie’s death?NADA,I mean nothing.
My goodness! What have we come to? Dropping like flies! Stop It…unnu please stop it!
Elgin and Rod, I have a question for both of you brothers. What exactly do you want to see the PM do?
Was he not in the House recently using his executive muscle to stear new leglislation in an attempt to combat this crimminal condition that is wayyyyyyyyyyy out of hand?
If we continue to look for scape goats and not lay the blame fairly and squarely where it belongs,(on the crimminals themselves) then all we would be doing is spinning our wheels as the true culprits continue on this path of mayhem and madness.
Let’s revisit the sad tragedy of baby Eyannie. It is my understanding ( fra all di way out yah dah farrin) that it is common knowledge exactly who is responsible. Yet nobody was so touched by this travesty, as to step forward to the Police and give enough evidence to warrant an arrest, let alone a conviction. Not even her OWN uncle that the bullet was intended for in the first place.
Neither the Prime Minister nor the Police nor the DPP, not even the Judge and Jurors would be able to obtain a conviction without hard evidence.
So we can jump up all we want and blame whomsoever we want to until we are blue in the face. But untill the community as a whole take responsibility, untill parents stop covering for their children……this entire exercise will continue to be one of frustration and blame laying.
Again……..whe unnu wahn the PM fi du??? Memba….. without hard evidence you won’t get a conviction. Without a conviction, you won’t get the death penalty. Yuh get di drift or what???
Maybe a step in the right direction is to try to convince those sticking to the no snitch rule that it is hurting us big time. All the way down to our innocent babes as they sleep peacefully in their beds.
At the end of the day, only the people…………. can save the people!!! Yuh betta Belize dat!!!!!!
lousville,Ky: The blame belongs squarely on the PM he is the leader of this country.Furthermore every Belizean Citizen has the right to hold these politicians accountable.That’s the only way change is going to come to the jewel.Why should we act like everything is fine when people are been killed on a daily basis in this country.Holding public office is not only about travelling to the best resorts on tax payers dollars.The PM need to start earning his pay.What is so difficult about making amendments to our laws to fine a solution to deal with this crime situation.?So are you implying that there is no solution to this crime situation?If that’s the case then maybe the PM need to step down .
Good job Louisville Ky. I just got back from Belize and was truly desturb about the little 8 year old that was killed while sleeping in her bed. It is just amazing that at what should be a time of celebration, the people of Belize are locked up in their houses. People are scared to be out in the streets. The only celebration we attended was the steel pan concert at the culture center. The celebration at Memoraial park was very low attended, very sad….Why should we visit when we are not able to be outside for fear of being robed or being caught in the spray of gun fire? Even the churches are not excempt, all the fans were stolen from the Methodist church , which is on a main street, it is an all time low for Belizean….It is shameful, not even respect for the church, the pastor had to go on radio and ask the people not to buy fans from anyone because it could be the fans stollen from the church…Ugh!!
Elgin Martin and Rod (the PUP cheer leaders) are two people with a clear agenda, so irrespective of what is being said you just pass blame to the PM for every thing. Even though the PM almost lost his partner and his former neighbour was killed, you tell me the man isn’t aware of the situation? But it’s easy to sit on the sidelines and shout garbage; even the PUP would struggle to control this violence right now. Unless you two geniuses know more than everybody else about the crime situation, in which case you should be talking to the police. Also I think that you are very lucky to live in a democracy where you can say whatever you like about the state and remain alive with all your limbs intact.
Mr Elgin Martinez, in your pyjamas on face book. Where will they find you these days in Dangriga or PG? By the way the word IN-COM-PE-TENT, ironically has no pit in it. Rod you are no better, as a noun starts with a capital letter and abbreviations are usually capitalized. More importantly though is the death threats against the PM, watch it Rod. You are not the only ones I would have my eyes on. Mr Barrow is right to be intercepting calls and emails because like many spiteful political parties in opposition, they would do anything to derail his prime ministerial reign. He won the election fair and square, get over it. Even your own leader said yesterday that he doesn’t think he will win the next election. What you need to do is go do some more cheerleading at the meetings to unite your party. Oh and happy 60th birthday PUP, don’t know how happy it will be.
Nothing will change in belize as long as the pup and udp are in power,and belize continue to be ruled be lawyers,who are nothing else than criminals with a lawdegree.belize only solution is a revolution against the 2 powers that have belizeans in slavery,living a misery kind of life,worthless health care,highways that have caused the death of thousands of belizeans.crime out of countrol,government who abuse thier power to enrich themself,military and police force that kill belizeans.
I am not a pup or udp deciple,nor will ever be,after living in the usa for 20 years,i have learned that a country’s leaders, are in power to serve its citizens,and if they are in power not doing thier jobs,the people have the right to kick them out of power,if they behave criminaly,they are send to jail.none of this happens in belize,politians in belize become heroes,even if they have a criminal record while in power.shame.
Right on Luisville, KY — well said! This is a problem that can’t be solve by finger pointing or by bystanders. People with a vested interest solve problems. If people won’t talk justice can’t be served. Belize can’t talk red or blue, and hop from side to side — no one can move forward that way!