From Antigua, PM Briceño Addresses Belize’s Crime Crisis

Prime Minister John Briceño may be outside the country, but tonight he is trying to reassure Belizeans that he remains fully engaged in the fight against crime. From Antigua, where he is attending a Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, the Prime Minister issued an unusual video statement addressing the recently declared State of Emergency and the wider security situation at home. Briceño recorded the message shortly after speaking with National Security Minister Michel Chebat, saying the developments were too important to wait until his return.

 

Prime Minister John Briceño

“I just got off the phone with Minister Chebat as to the events taking place in Belize and as to the actions that he along with the police will take to make our citizens feel safer. Of course a number of these initiatives will have to go to Cabinet for further discussion. But it is important for me to make a few things clear, one is that the issue of crime has to be something to be addressed by all of us, the government, political parties, private sector, public sector, NGOs and the families. For too long I have been saying that as families we have not been disciplined enough to keep them off the streets. Secondly, the police knows who most of these gang leaders are and it is time that we go after them and get them off the streets to ensure that our citizens can live safer lives. Third, for too long we have been talking about so many of our young children and young adults walking on the streets without anything to do. It is time for us to find other alternatives for them. Some of these young adults in these gangs, we need to get them out and put them into special programs where we can teach them discipline, a trade and give them an apprentice, because I have always said, the best social program a government can have is to give you a job. That is what our government is trying to do. This situation is one we must face together, all of us as Belizeans because we are going to do everything possible to ensure that Belize continues to be this peaceful, loving place.”

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

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