Learning From Jamaica’s Anti‑Gang Playbook

As Belize continues to confront rising gang activity at home, Prime Minister John Briceño says the country may soon look to Jamaica for guidance. At this week’s CARICOM meeting, Jamaica’s leader, Dr. Andrew Holness, urged regional heads to get ahead of gang networks before they take deeper root. Coming out of those discussions, Briceño says Belize is now exploring how its law enforcement agencies can learn from Jamaica’s experience in tackling gang‑driven violence.

 

On the Phone: Prime Minister John Briceño

“Jamaica, Prime Minister Holness was very frank with us in the caucus for just heads. He said guys if you have any issue with gangs just deal with it now. You don’t want to live the experience that Jamaica did, because if it becomes any bigger and powerful then it becomes difficult to deal with. As you all know, we are starting to have some bigger problems with the gang situation in Belize. So, I spoke with him and I said, we would probably want to send our people to Jamaica or if I can go myself to take a look at what they have done and how they have managed to have some success, not only in that but in also trying to have the police properly equipped with equipment and technology to be able to fight crime efficiently and effectively.”

 

Tensions Rise as Trinidad Challenges CARICOM

 

Regional tensions inside CARICOM boiled over this week when Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar bluntly accused the bloc of failing to stand with member states in moments of crisis, citing her own country’s standoff with Venezuela. She went a step further, announcing that Trinidad would not support CARICOM’s full free‑movement agenda for now. Today, Belize offered a sharp rebuttal. Prime Minister John Briceño told News Five that her criticism misses the mark entirely, and he did not mince words.

 

On the Phone: Prime Minister John Briceño

“I think that is unfortunate that the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago would say such things and in such public fashion. And I think Prime Minister Mia Mottley answered her. But I want to tell you that she is one hundred percent wrong. We have had several meetings and statements in support of Guyana and also Trinidad. We work very closely with the former prime minister of Trinidad, with the issues of Venezuela and Guyana. We have had meetings with Venezuela and Guayana in Saint Vincent. While I could not attend personally, I attended via zoom. And we all made the point that we support Guyana and that the boundaries have been accepted and that there is a treaty that must be respected, just like with Guatemala and Belize, there is a treaty and it must be respected.”

 

CARICOM Calls for Common Ground on Cuba

 

Cuba also dominated discussions at this week’s CARICOM meeting, where leaders grappled with the island’s worsening humanitarian crisis and the impact of the U.S. oil blockade. The issue sparked sharp exchanges, from calls for regional action to accusations aimed at Havana’s leadership. Today, Prime Minister John Briceño told News Five that despite the divisions, CARICOM leaders agreed on one thing: both the U.S. and Cuba must come to the table and find common ground.

 

On the Phone: Prime Minister John Briceño

“We urge that both parties can sit down and meet and find a common ground on the way forward. We believe that if necessary, because of the long standing relationship that we have with both countries, with both United States and Cuba, that if any of the parties wants CARICOM to act as an honest broker we are prepared to do so. But we did speak about the humanitarian crisis and that the citizens in Cuba are running out of food. And, I noticed they have lifted the oil embargo which I am very happy to hear that. But we need to find ways how we can get aid to the Cuban people. So CARICOM has decided that we will jointly put our resources together and find ways how we can get food to the Cuban people.”

 

And tonight, CARICOM says it’s ready to step in as an honest broker if needed, as regional leaders work to get urgent food assistance to the Cuban people and push both sides toward meaningful dialogue.

 

 

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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