Crime is neither blue nor red, says P.M.
And finally, although Prime Minister Said Musa had to do a lot of talking at today’s sitting in his role as Minister of Finance, it appeared that his most passionate words were saved for a topic that is plaguing, not the nation’s pocketbook, but its very soul.
Janelle Chanona, Reporting
As Belizeans continue to reel from the atrocious murders of Oliver Blanco, the Brannon brothers, the Esquivel sisters, the Oroman family and others, as well as the countless sexual attacks on children, today Prime Minister Said Musa formally addressed the nation on the issue.
Prime Minister Said Musa
?These are not crimes preventable by any police department anywhere in the world, these are arbitrary crimes born of inhuman disrespect for life.?
According to Musa, his government has spent tens of millions dollars on law enforcement efforts and poverty alleviation but today the P.M. contends that all that money is a pittance in the face of eroding social capital.
Prime Minister Said Musa
?The fight will only be won when we come together as a community. The crime problem is not only a G.O.B. problem; the colour of crime is red, at the time that it is blue. The crime problem is not political, it is national. These partners in fighting crime must include parents, educators, priests and pastors, businessmen and women, neighbours and potential witnesses. We must also ask ourselves, which convicted or accused criminal is without parents, which ones did not have teachers or attend some church congregation at some point in their lives. How many did not work in organizations and alongside other employees. We have to be honest with ourselves. Madam Speaker, and admit that over the years, as adults, we have been failing in our duty to promote a standard of behaviour on the next generation. Discipline has been sacrifice on the altar of selfishness and a moral relativism that denies our traditional sense of right and wrong.?
As part of its response to crime, today the Musa administration introduced three bills that deal with plea bargains, handling of child abuse medical forms and monetary payments to witnesses.
Prime Minister Said Musa
?But what deters criminals most is the near certainty of being caught, convicted and punished.?
And for the Prime Minister punishment might come at the end of the rope.
Prime Minister Said Musa
?To put more criminals behind bars, we must and we will reduce the delays in bringing cases to court. And finally, we will reopen the debate on capital punishment. Those innocent victims of murder who have had their lives cut short cannot go to the Privy Council for a second life. Their families cry out for retribution. The people cry out for justice. Justice dictates that the punishment must fit the crime.?
Belmopan is also promising to fast track loans for new vehicles and equipment for the police.
Dean Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
?It clearly means that not just rhetoric but serious coordinated action.?
But for the Opposition, Musa?s plans are not enough.
Dean Barrow
?There is no sense of leadership that is being demonstrated by the government. There is no sense of any continuing serious interaction with the community. The Prime Minister or his Minister or somebody ought to be touring this country. Meeting with communities and telling the people what exactly it is, what the blueprint is going, forward and that should be followed up by a kind of continuing process that will keep this issue at the forefront of the public agenda and will also serve to reassure our society that action is taking place, and that action is continuous. What we have heard today, while it is a start, in the end, if we are too be honest, falls woefully short in terms of its being the initiation of any concrete plan of action. We need, we deserve and we demand more, much more.?
Reporting for News Five, I am Janelle Chanona.
As a part of today’s meeting the government also put forward a bill to make Belize a member of CABEI, the Central American Bank for Economic Integration. In the proposal to the House, P.M. Musa submitted that Belize has been exempted from paying full membership fees of twenty-five million U.S. dollars and will only have to put up six point two million in cash over the next four years. It is understood, however, that Belize would be subject to an in kind payment of some U.S. eighteen million dollars to the organisation. In return, Belize is expected to benefit from a two billion dollar initiative by CABEI to alleviate poverty, promote and strengthen financial markets and support the regional business climate and trade agreements. In other legislation introduced today stamp duties on the sale of land were modified to more realistic rates. The new system allows for no tax on transfers from zero to twenty thousand dollars in value, five percent on the next twenty to two hundred thousand and ten percent on any additional amounts above two hundred thousand. The new bill also abolishes the old distinctions between local, CARICOM and foreign purchasers.
