Officer Removed as Ministry Enforces Zero-Tolerance on Abuse Case

In the meantime, swift disciplinary action has been taken. The officer involved has been placed on leave and barred from returning to the facility. Steps are already underway to terminate their employment. But this isn’t just about one incident. The ministry is doubling down on its zero-tolerance stance against corporal punishment, not just at New Beginnings, but across all state care facilities in Belize. With help from international partners, the center is undergoing a full-scale reform, aiming to create a safer, more rehabilitative environment for our youth.

 

Thea Garcia Ramirez, Minister of Human Development

“I think the kindest thing we can do is what we’re trying to do at the facility to ensure his mental and his physical integrity and ensure that he is restored as much as possible. We are ensuring that not only his physical wellbeing and his health are restored, but also ensuring that he gets the help that he needs. It was certainly a traumatic event, I don’t want to lie to you, and while I am not at liberty to show you the footage, I can tell you that I was deeply affected by it, and I can just imagine the child as well. As a mother, I put myself in the situation where it could have been one of my children, it certainly could have been. It could have been any one of us and I think that the child’s wellbeing and the wellbeing of all children in Belize should come first. And so while we want to ensure that we select our staff very carefully, and ensure that there is ongoing training, sensitization, and maybe, some sort of therapy sessions with them, they also need to call for help if  they need help.”