South Side Gangsters say they weren’t included in Gang Meeting
Prime Minister Dean Barrow met with the gangs on Sunday and hammered out a truce. It was said that all gangs had been invited to the negotiating table. On our newscast on Monday, the Minister Doug Singh singled out the South Side Gangsters, saying that they wouldn’t benefit from government assistance. Well, the SSG is taking umbrage at that statement. News Five’s Isani Cayetano spoke with the hierarchy of the SSG.
Isani Cayetano, Reporting
A truce among rival gangs was brokered by Prime Minister Dean Barrow on Sunday following a previous sit-down with the leadership as well as the rank and file of the major groups operating in the streets of Belize City. 
In an interview with News Five on Monday Doug Singh, Minister of Police and Public Safety, said that part of the agreement for the ceasefire to remain effective is to provide employment for gang members. During that interview Singh stated on record that the South Side Gangsters would be responsible for their own means of employment, independent of government aide. Today the SSG’s top brass issued a press release refuting claims made by the minister. In fact, the release goes on to say that SSG was not invited or represented in either of the two meetings held over the weekend.
It states, “We were not in attendance at any of the sessions for the simple reason that we felt that the true objective was to only resolve the issues between the GSU Gang and the George Street Gang. We felt that it would not have been a real open floor discussion where we would have been able to voice our opinions, suggestions, insights or issues with the ‘dominant’ George Street Gang and their associates.”
This afternoon News Five caught up with a ranking member of the South Side Gangsters who set the record straight on the recently inked truce.
SSG Member
Voice of: SSG Member
“To my understanding Doug Singh di gih di people misguided information. He di explain to di people that the South Side Gang sound like dehn have ways how dehn sustain dehnselfs wid dehn own jobs and create dehn own atmosphere. I mean ih done rough out ya, mein we really in need ah some genuine help and fi hyah wah man ah big caliber like that di mention dehn absurd things deh ih noh mek no sense mein, simple yoh noh. We need help out ya just like everybody else. We need solutions and di only way fi deal with it da I feel like da fi go fi di root ah dis thing ya. Di minista dehn have to stop play games and create some opportunity fu di youths dehn, gih we some jobs, you know, create some avenues. I mean wah lotta positive youths deh out ya weh could do wah lotta things, very talented you know, very skillful and thing but dehn wih noh di invest eena di youth dehn you know. [Dehn] use South Side as wah front like when certain tragedies or when certain things occur we only say well like yeah well like di South Side people in need now but then dehn only cry eena wih name then.”
The response, as we mentioned earlier, came from a statement made by Minister Singh during a television interview with News Five.
Doug Singh, Minister of Police [File: September 5th, 2011]
Doug Singh
“Certainly on the group associated with the SSGs they said that they felt that they could take care of their employment opportunities. We got a different impression from the groups associated with the George Street Gang that certainly they may need some form of assistance in securing employment, recognizing that many of these people are unemployable from the standpoint that business houses and employers in the society at large are not prepared to take chances.”
According to SSG the rivalries are largely politically motivated.
Voice of: SSG Member
“Politically I feel like government in a whole motivate these gangs. Only di other side the eat. Southside, we di scrape. Sometimes I frustrated. I dah wah law-abiding citizen and many days I noh got wah job, I noh got food fi eat, I can’t provide fi my family. And fi make I just throw away everything that I have. Like I said I try to abide by the law to the fullest, but throwaway that goodness by depriving somebody or rob somebody else will jeopardize my whole freedom and the freedom of our loved ones too. Dah noh like man just wah do things out yah. Yo, we do things to survive, and fi bring about the solution you need to create some opportunities and the government have the money fi do that. So if they really want see further movement and further help fi di youths dehn, dehn wah create that.”
Reporting for News Five, I am Isani Cayetano.
Don’t give up on these people mentioned in this article. The youths should be looked after even if this issue weren’t resolved right away. I’ve been praying for Belize for a positive change. .
A message from the PM (Pope’s Mother): “If you committed robbery in order to survive and to put bread on the table, that is understandable to a certain degree. But if you intentionally & deliberately cause harm to or kill someone during the robbery, you deserve to be slaughtered & rot in hell forever and ever, AMEN”.
Singh, I swear one day, you will stand in front of the mirror, practice what you will say in public & find a way to keep your foot out of your mouth, Junior Heredia already has that job & you are giving him a run for his money. We held our noses as you chose to negotiate, why muck it up, which is what happens when you start playing favorites
Babies, stop whining. The young man who spoke was very articulate, Show us what your brilliant minds can do without resorting to bloodshed. Hindsight is 2020 but the problem is not a GSU & GSG problem, it affects everyone including the law abiding folks. The GSU would not exist if we did not have a gang problem, they would not be looking for grenades had some fools not used them & our streets would not be deserted at duskl if people felt safe. The criticism directed at you comes from frustration with the senseless violence.
Hate to say it but I told you so.
This governmet is ridiculous! You know what kind of employement they should give all gang members? Employement to build a better prison or more than one! Many hard working, productive, qualified persons out there without a job and this government is wasting it’s time with gang members!
Life is hard out here not only for them but for all of us! It would be stupid to say that the bad economy has only affected them as if we haven’t seen what it has done to all belizeans! Still doesn’t makes us gang members, thieves, rapists, murderers etc…….
If these people wanted to live a more productive, healthy life style why haven’t they? WHy haven’t they made that change in their lives?! when people really want to change they take action and make a difference! What makes Dean Barrow think that they will or want to change?! Forgive me if i’m judging wrong here but The only way “SOME” of these people change is when they are sent away to highly secured prisons for a very long time! to pay for their wrong doings! If they are gang members, well known street figures why are they not arrested?!
Invest and think wisely Dean Barrow!!!
why are we encouraging gang bangers to be calling shots? why is our society condoning gang banging as a career? there are tens of thousands of Belizean working minimum wage in order to provide for their families and children. now-a-days. it seems like getting gang afiliated is the way to go if you want to get something from government, and it seems to be working just fine. they are now calling press conferences …. unpresedented in Belize, but seddenly the norm. in my opinion the gangs in belize are terrorist cells – come on Belize – for God sakes – these people threw a grenade into a crowd of Belizean druring our patriotic celebrations. we ought not to be condoning these gangs. we are setting up ourselves for a major terroist movement. We should feel no sympathy for these gangsters, and we should not be sitting at no negotiation table …. leaders of our country do not start creating terror cells in our precious country.
THE OTHER CHEEK
The people dem seh dem a talk and nobody nah listen all along
So dem want me to put it In the form of a song
Cause is like seh, oonu betray we trust
So this is to all of you from all of us
Providing no jobs and telling us stop the crime
Is like beating a child and telling him not to cry
With all the highways you a build and go through
You never build a little avenue
Fi di youths dem earn a buck, things a run a muck tell me what the fuk
You really think a go happen
If dem enuh earn a buck, gun a buss and none of us really want that shit to happen
You mistah, you know me nah try fi dis ya
But everything no so criss ya
We jus a look a little help prime ministah
Do you expect me to turn the other cheek
Taste my tears and admit defeat
Do you expect me to listen when you speak
You never ever practice what you preach
Do you expect me to still come out and vote
No matter what happens were always broke
And the people seh dem tired of being poor
That the emperess a chant and the lion a roar
Even the richest man haffi go learn fi tek a stance
When them realize seh dem no safe inna dem mansion
Is a tough way fi learn seh yuh no really secure
When the problems of the poor come kick dung yuh door
The youths dem a get 2000 guns fi everyone oonu cease
Instead of treating the symptoms why dont you cure the disease
You know things must really get wicked
When your paycheck is less than your speeding ticket
Mistah, you know we nah try fi dis ya
But everything no so criss sah
We just a beg a little help prime ministah
Well we say, money fi run and it fi run inna bundle…
From the time a group of people come together calling themselves GANG they should have been dismissed they put themselves in this situation now they want society to forgive them of all the negative things they did in the past, now all of a sudden they no that they are suffering and need jobs like all the rest of the law abiding citizen NO WAY as they came forward calling themselves GANG they should be sent straight to jail with hard labor on a far off island surrounding by alligators and electric fence where they cannot escape .
BMNJ PM no mek no sense, so is it right to steal? depriving others of what they work for? The historical accounts and laws indicate clearly that though shall not steal. It does not explain why but we know why. You steal from me but you do not know if that is the last I have too. It is not right at all to take what does not belong to you. Mother nature provides. We have the sea, we could fish, we could get conchs, we go to the forest and get fruits that grow natural. In Belize, there is no need to steal. Unless you are born with that weakness.
I know that there are ten commandments to follow. If we choose not to follow them then we face the consequences whatever that may be. The bible is free anyone can read the book of Leviticus and learn the commandments or ask a pastor or a priest. People shirk when the bible is mentioned but that is because the demon is advising you and we listen to it. Take Heed.
But isn’t it a criminal offence to be a member of a criminal gang? Why is the PM and the law enforcement officers encouraging such outright disrespect for the laws of our country?
The Prime Minister has SET A NEW LOW. WE need to UPHOLD THE LAW!!!!!
HE SHOULD NEVER HAVE MET WITH THEM.
When he first took office they SUMMONED HIM TO A MEETING ALSO…. and he went.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE TRUCE IS BROKEN??????????and it will be.
Dean Barrow is he the leader of our country ? why would he belittle himself and meet with common thugs what happened to the police department , the only meeting to take place should have been to round up all so called gang members and take them off our streets after all they are making terroistis threats to ignite grenades and harm the innocent where is the outrage,where is the investigations to track down who and where these grenades are coming from why is not our government sending a strong message that our streets belong to us and were taking it back instead our leader meets with common trash and begs for peace ,how shameful stand up and lead mister prime minister take control of your country or step aside and let someone more competent lead.
WELL PM ONLY IN BELIZE THE TERROIST GETS TO NEGIOCIATE AND ARE TURN INTO HERO FOR NOT CREATING HOVAC ON OUR STREETS FOR OUR CELABRATION SO AFTER THAT IS IT BACK TO BUSINESS AS USUAL OR WHAT TELL ME MISTER PM THE US NEVER WILL STAND FOR THIS FOOLISHNESS THE WORD IS WE DO NOT NEGIOTATE WITH TERRORIST MISTER DEAN BARROW NUFF SAID
Belizeans deserve to know the details of the “truce”!