In the month of March there were 9 murders in Belize City – and yesterday Eastern Division boss Allan Whylie says the motive in most was either old beef or gang rivalry. And if history is any indicator, there will be retaliations in April. But to stop history from repeating itself, the Police Department today teamed up with Youth for the Future for outreach to youths in the city’s so-called hotspots. Their message was the usual: put down the gun. Jason Brown – who is considered influential on the street - says he is ready to put down the gun - if it’ll mean getting a job.
Jason Brown,
“I have family just like most other Belizean and I just want a job to take care of my kids and my family and live basically normally like everybody else. I want to get out of it and I can’t take it anymore. I think its time for us to get off the streets and stop the violence because it is isn’t paying. If you ask me or ask anybody else I know, ask them what they are killing each other for – basically they won’t have a reason. There is no major reason for you to be killing your brothers out for nothing so me, I have my life to live and I reaching an age where I want to settle in real bad and get out of that completely. So if I could get a job and settle in, it will be the best thing that could happen to me right now because out here isn’t easy.”
Keith Swift,
So for you that will be the solution.
Jason Brown,
“Definitely it will be a major part of the solution for me because my time will be occupied and I will have different things on my mind.”
Diane Finnegan, Director – Youth for the Future
“This is the voice of a young man who is now tired. He knows the life, he has been there for a while and he is saying this is who I am, accept me for
who I am but also give me an opportunity to prove myself and I won’t let you down. And so when you hear cries like that it is the moment for us to step in and say, I will give you that opportunity. And of course not just giving the opportunity and letting him go, we have to also mentor to him so he understands the value of what is being given to him.”
Keith Swift,
They say yes they want to stop the violence but they need a job. Is that something you guys are willing to provide?
Diane Finnegan,
“One of the things that we are trying not to do is sell too much dreams and promises. Our responsibility is to find out what are the needs of these young people, where is it that we can be of assistance.”
Douglas Hyde, BPD
“The Police Department does not have all the answers but by joining and working with our colleagues and different agencies in the social area, we realize that would be one of the best approach. Youth for the Future has been working directly with our young people and we want to continue that. The work we’re doing here today is one of what we continue to do everyday and we want to continue doing that with a commitment to our young people that there is hope and there is a will and we need to continue to show the young people of that area.”
Later this evening, Youth for the Future’s Director Diane Finnegan and the police’s youth coordinator Douglas Hyde will also visit with the family of murder and violence victims. Their message to them will be to steer clear of the desire for retaliation. The team from Youth for the Future and the Police Department also visited George Street and the Yabra area.
