Senator Dennison: Belize Cannot Police Its Way Out of Poverty

Can Belize fight crime without first confronting poverty? Union Senator Glenfield Dennison says the answer is no. This afternoon, Dennison staged a one-man demonstration near the flag monument roundabout in Belize City, carrying a sign that read, “Greed Breeds Need.” He argues that government can lower the cost of living, but claims greed is standing in the way. Dennison says the State of Emergency may target criminals, but it will not address the poverty helping to fuel crime.

 

Glenfield Dennison, Union Senator

“I am running an education campaign Mr. Lopez. The cost of living is too high and I am trying to get voters to understand that this is a direct issue at election.”

 

Paul Lopez

“I hear you are saying greed breeds need, what is that telling people, what does that mean to you?”

 

Glenfield Dennison

“We are having a crime surge. Crime is not a sickness. Crime is a symptom of poverty. People are in need. Unless we start to understand that, we are going to be doing the same circus and song and dance and nothing will change. We are going to lock up man and then their wife and their girlfriend and baby ma wah the out yah the suffer and it will just get worse. When them man come out their lady will stress them. We wah have problem with these gang people again. This dah nuh the answer. This SOE, we done try this over and over again and what Einstein said, the definition of insanity, you try the same thing over and over again expecting a different result. I make a change anytime somebody reads this sign, every time somebody reads this sign. I never underestimate the power of a small group to make a change. In fact history has shown only a small group trying to make a change ever has. I have several more signs ready, so I have a white board. The slogans are coming out every day. As often as I can come out here on my lunch hour, the signs will change everyday.”

 

Paul Lopez

“Who is the greedy and who is the needy?”

 

Glenfield Dennison

“That is for everybody to decide for themselves Paul, I am just the messenger.”

 

Dennison says he will be out demonstrating alone everyday during the lunch hour with a new sign.

 

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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