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And back here in Belize, the State of Emergency continues and starting next week, those remanded will be placed into groups to have mediation sessions. And like every other mediation session, the goal is to hopefully sit the rival gangs down and reach a resolution to whatever issues they may have.
But there are still a lot more alleged gang members wanted by the police. But have the big players been making trades to stay out of jail? That's what we asked the ComPol yesterday.
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"Next week we will commence intervention and mediation session at the Kolbe foundation. And that will be led by, Mr. Nuri Mohammed. the intention is for him to go in twice a week to meet with them in smaller groups and then see how we can eventually expand the groups, that will be done for the three month period of the. Again, the objective is not to just have them locked up in prison, but also to see if we can find a way to help them to resolve whatever issues or conflicts that they may have. So we're hoping that, it is going to bear good fruits, in terms of those persons who are still listed as wanted, the police are still pursuing them. some of them may have left the country. Some of them may be in hiding in other parts of the country. But we're hoping that the public is going to assist us in rooting them out from where they may be."
Jules Vasquez:
"How do you answer he criticism that a number of the quote unquote, big time names in the gangster hierarchy have bought their way out of the SOE by turning in heavy weapons, and in so doing, you know, you give up two guns and then you get out."
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"That is not true, the SOE, again, as the minister eloquently explained, it is targeting those persons who intelligence reveal are actively involved in what was taking place on our streets. We are not going after persons who, not because Jules Vasquez was a gang member a year ago, and, Jules Vasquez is working with the LIU to try and change his lifestyle, must now go after him. That is not the objective of the SOE. And so those persons who are not a part of the wanted list are persons who are not active. Bearing in mind that somebody see in big players that you're speaking about are on the wanted list and they have not yet been found. So again, we're hoping that they'll be able to find those people and then let them join their colleagues in prison."
