Now, earlier this year - especially during the COVID health crisis - whenever gang rivalries spikes up like this to uncontrollable levels of warfare - the former government would immediately impose a 30 day Southside State of Emergency. It's a practice that has brought peace - but at the cost of citizens' rights - and today when we asked the new police minister if he will do the same - here's what he said:
Hon. Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs
"We know that like you said in the past it was the habit, at least during the time of Covid for there to be a declaration of state of emergency. Of course that is something that is always on the table, but it is not something that we will jump at, at the first instance. We certainly are looking at interventions, looking at definitely applying different strategies. The Commissioner of police is not doing this for the likes you know, he is not doing this for the facebook likes and the media likes, it's a very tough job, a lot of people out there dont like the style and approach of the Belize Police Department, but at the end of the day like you said, Jules, it is the toughest job right now and so I don't in any way envy the commissioner, he is sitting in a very hot seat and likewise myself now inheriting this seat. It's a hot seat no doubt. It's a terrible situation and definitely like I said we will be employing strategies, but it's not our immediate knee jerk reaction to go to a state of emergency."
