And while Minister Ferguson says he has the COVID cure, it's clear that police do not have the answer for gang violence in the Martin's area.
But who's to blame? It's easy to point the finger at the Eastern Division command, but that would be to overlook a key factor: that COVID 19 has forced many cops to go home, depriving formations of much needed manpower. The Commissioner discussed it today:
Rapid Tests For Police Starting Soon
And in the interest of getting those officers back on the street and protecting those who've remain COVID free, the commissioner has requested a special number of rapid tests that will be designated specially for the police force. Here's what he told Jules Vasquez about how quickly those tests are being made available.
Reporter
"About 5 weeks ago you and I spoke and we discussed you had requested that rapid testing be made available for frontline officers specifically police officers. One has the sense that in Belize you prioritize everything else, we prioritize tourist, healthcare workers have to be a priority, but the police have often seen as mek dem tek dim lick, mek dem be societies' donkey, so to speak and no one has prioritized testing for these police officers who have the most variable frontline contact experiences, because its so unpredictable what will happen out there in the field. Is that a pitch that you will make again for some type of rapid testing be made available for police?"
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"That pitch has been made and has been approved. The minister informed me in our earlier meeting that the minister of health have agreed that when it comes to police officers the rapid test is what going to be used. And again if we have two much of our officers down, it does not help our national security effort in terms of providing internal security for our people and so I am happy that the minister through his colleague, the minister of health have now made it possible for our officers to get rapid test instead of going through that lenghty process of waiting 2-3 weeks for a test result."
Reporter
"When will that be coming on line sir?"
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"I think it starts today."
Kareem COVID Negative
And one police related personnel who did get some kind of test is their minister, Karem Musa. With COVID catching at the highest levels of the PUP, we asked him about his status today:
Reporter
"We know that your prime minister has had a covid test that's positive. Jorge Espat from Cayo West, Mike Espat from Toledo East - there are reports of others. Have you taken a Covid 19 test?"
Hon. Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs
"Yes I have. I took one yesterday and the results came back negative. It wouldnt be here if it was positive."
Payout For Family Of Cop Who Died In Accident
We caught up with the police brass at a ceremony for the family of Corporal Anibal Mena. In early September, he was off duty on a motorcycle when he crashed into a pickup and later died from his injuries.
Fortunately he was contributing to the Police welfare program with monthly voluntary contribution. And today his family got its payout from Diversified Life Solutions:
Mena had 15 years of service. The welfare program has 500 members.
Reversals of Political Fortunes in Belize Rural
And, now for something completely different…we continue our series looking at the statistical anomalies in the PUP's November 11th rout of the UDP.
It was very nearly the largest swing ever - and that was very visible in the three rural seats which flipped from red to blue, by massive margins. Jules Vasquez crunched at the numbers:
In the 2020 general elections, The UDP lost a lot of ground in Belize City - two divisions and thousands of voters - once red - who turned blue.
And while the swings were significant - even historic in some areas like Lake I and Pickstock, the trifecta of losses for the UDP in Belize Rural was massive - a clean sweep for the PUP of the rurals - two of which had been long held by the UDP.
The longest held was Belize Rural South - which Manuel Heredia has been winning since 2003 - 4 terms and considered a stronghold. In 2015, he got a comfortable 56% of the vote, but in 2020, that support fell almost 20 percentage points - to just 35% of the vote. The PUP's Andre Peres got 62% of the vote, more than Heredia got in the last big sweep of 2008, when he got 61%.
Similarly in Belize Rural North - Edmond Castro has been winning since 2008 - and in 2015, he garnered a comfortable 53% of the vote.
But in 2020, he was blown out - losing 14 percentage points in support and dipping to just 40%, giving Marconi Leal a comfortable victory of 57%.
In Belize Rural Central which has always been a marginally held seat - the UDP's Beverly Williams won by just 58 votes over Dolores Balderamos Garcia in 2015.
But, by 2020 - Balderamos Garcia reversed the tide - and blew open a 1243 vote margin of victory - garnering 57% of the vote.
YES Messaging On Point
And, finally tonight…to kick off 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence, the Youth Enhancement Services is bringing more awareness to three major issues: domestic violence, human trafficking, and sexual exploitation of minors.
They have created an ad, and a music video, to raise awareness so that victims know how to seek the help they need.
And while this is important, Y-E-S is aiming high as they are lobbying for the state to be able to prosecute perpetrators even when the victims don't want to press charges.
The music video features female Belizeans artists and the ad features Y-E-S clients.
