Back in April, there was a murder in the Belize River Valley area which was the culmination of a rivalry between Lemonal and Double Head Cabbage. That murder revealed the inadequate policing that had been plaguing those communities. Since then, the police have switched the officers who had grown lax and complicit. And today, the new officers were gifted with a brand new vehicle which will allow them to better patrol the area. At the ceremony today, the Minister explained that this is fulfilling a promise they made a long time ago.
Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs
"A few years ago, we had undertaken a very comprehensive, countrywide review and tour of the rural communities, meeting with the leaders all across the country to identify the key areas in which we can assist these rural communities, whether it's by community policing, whether it's by assigning special constables, additional special constables and one of the main concerns was mobility and so that is part of the reason we are here today to deliver this brand new pickup truck for the Belize River Valley. As you mentioned, there were some flareups about two months ago and so we definitely want to prioritize and focus our efforts here in the River Valley, not just by providing mobility for the police officers but by providing additional officers."
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"We have new leadership in the area as well, additional police officers were also pumped into the area, I think we went from somewhere around 11 police officers in this area to currently around 29, so the number increased tremendously. Burrell Boom station is now 24 hours operating, in Bermudian Landing I think it's the 2 shift system, they're there until midnight, so we see more and more that we're doing what we can to help enhance security."
But it wasn't just fresh officers and new transportation that lessened the crime in that area. The ComPol explained that they also had mediation sessions.
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"We had two sessions in Ladyville, the chairpersons were there, and we brought in all the guys who were involved in the feud and since then I can say that they are living up to their promises that they were going to do what they can to resolve the issue and I have also said to them that if they have any issue that they see might result in some sort of retaliation or violence to please feel free to contact the police. I think the response now coming from the leadership in the area, Mr Gaboural and Mr Barrow, is very much important because I'm not getting the complaints again where people were calling me and sending me messages that they make reports to the police and nothing is being done, I am not getting those so that tells me that both leaders in the area, they're getting the results that they want so it doesn't reach me anymore."
6 vehicles were also given to CIB, and the total value of all the vehicles is $650,000.
