Dickie Bradley: ‘Repeated SOEs Have Not Made Belize Safer’
Attorney Richard ‘Dickie’ Bradley says Belize’s repeated States of Emergency have failed to make a lasting impact on violent crime, arguing that the country continues to face the same problems despite successive emergency measures.
“We’ve gone nowhere. We’re right back where we start from. In fact, it’s worse. So there is a problem in the society,” Bradley said.
Bradley says the country’s growing gang problem reflects the failure of successive governments to develop an effective, long-term response.
“In 2008, there were six gangs in this country. By 2020, when there was finally a change of government, there were twenty-six known gangs across the country. In villages, on the cayes, way down in PG,” he said.
He also questioned whether the government has adequately invested in community policing and programmes for young people, arguing that crime prevention must extend beyond arrests and detention.
“Community policing, the police is part of the community and the community is part of the police. You know the people in your community. They trust you to a certain extent. You can talk with them. You can pick up information,” Bradley said.
He also questioned the decision to look to El Salvador and President Nayib Bukele’s crime-fighting model for answers, arguing that Belize has a different history and system of governance.
“It’s a totally different system. We grew up in a different system,” Bradley said.
