Law Passed, But Protection System Still Not Active

Six months after Parliament passed new laws meant to give victims of domestic violence faster protection, Belize is still waiting to see the system put into action.

The changes, approved in November 2025, were designed to allow specially trained Senior Justices of the Peace (JP) to step in and issue short-term protection orders when the courts are closed, especially on weekends and public holidays.

But despite the legal green light, the rollout has stalled because the required training for these officers has not yet begun. NGO Senator Janelle Chanona has raised concerns that the new protections are still not available to the public, even though they were meant to close urgent gaps in the justice system.

We spoke with Adrian ‘Danny’ Madrid, President of the Association of Justices of the Peace and Commissioners of the High Court, who says the system is new for Belize and comes with strict requirements.

“This is the first time we’re doing this in Belize,” Madrid explained. “So we’re trying our best to deal with it to have it work.” He said that while Belize has more than 3,000 Justices of the Peace, only a small number qualify as senior JPs, which is the level needed for the new powers.

“You have to be a JP for 10 years before you can be appointed a senior JP,” he said. On top of that, applicants must have a clean police record and undergo intensive training before they can act in cases.

Madrid says the rules are strict for a reason because senior JPs will be dealing with serious and often dangerous domestic violence situations, sometimes stepping in for magistrates when courts are closed.

But one of the biggest challenges right now is not just the rules; it’s hesitation. Madrid says some senior JPs are afraid to take on the role because of the risk involved. “One of the first thing that some of them will tell you, ‘I’m afraid because suppose I am with this person who is reporting a domestic violence act, and then the person who did the violence comes to me and then beat me and the person up,’” Madrid shared.

To address that concern, he says all interviews and reporting under the system will be done at police stations for safety. Training for the role is expected to be intensive and will be led by the Ministry of Domestic Violence and the Attorney General’s Ministry.