Earlier in the news, you heard the UDP call for the resignation of the Minister and CEO of Home Affairs. We're sure in their gradebooks, the minister has gotten an F for citizen security.
For the final part of our report card series, we examined that sector along with agriculture. And while we can't say much has changed in a year's time regarding the safety of Belizeans - which is to say, citizens likely feel no safer than they did a year ago - in agriculture, we definitely noted major moves benefitting local farmers. Both ministries have their achievements and their failings, and today, Courtney Menzies took a closer look at both. Here is that story.
"Today Belizeans are scared. Crime is rampant." This quote is taken directly from the Plan Belize manifesto, which was published over a year ago. And since, things haven't really changed.
And the public trust in the department keeps dwindling with all allegations of police brutality we've reported in the past year.
From clapping phones out of civilian hands, to pepper spraying and beating them while handcuffed, and not to mention the trigger-happy cop who took the life of an innocent 14-year-old. Even dogs aren't safe from gun carrying officers.
And the little faith the public had was shattered yet again when elite cops were caught allegedly facilitating a drug plane landing.
It's like the PUP's manifesto says, "Belize is a breeding ground for crime. We experience unprecedented murders, drug planes landing with impunity, increased domestic violence, urban warfare fed by drugs and uncontrolled gangs, unabated home invasions, and personal assaults in all our streets."
And with nine children dead from gun violence since July, there's still a long way to go to fulfil the safe society that the government promised.
The manifesto said they would appoint an independent police complaint board to reduce incidents of police abuse. Of course, we can't know if it actually is reduced since not all of them are caught on camera - which is only one of the ways it comes to light.
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"Some of the same people who are outraged are the same ones who condemned the police when they go after these criminals. People take out their phone, video what the police do, put it on social media and we are condemned. That makes some of the police officers draw back and it's not helping us. We either are with law and order or with criminals. We can't be on both sides."
But our phones are still ringing from people who have experienced this kind of brutality.
The PUP also wants to increase the force with 4,000 more officers. They managed to add 200 this year, and the Commissioner explained that these cops are trained differently - with community policing and de-escalation methods at the center. These officers are just entering the ranks and so we can't judge their performance just yet.
One thing the PUP did manage to do was to disband the GSU - now we have the GI3. Does it make a difference? We'll let you be the judge of that one.
But the government's main goal is to demilitarize the department, and institute intelligence based policing, rather than banging down doors and beating young black men.
And the party who railed against state of emergencies resorted to doing one. But we give them credit for an innovative SOE, complete with yet another mediation session. They rounded up only the gangs who were alleged to be active at that time and have pledged to keep working with them to give them opportunities for a life outside of crime.
And after that, the Minister of Police introduced a multi-ministerial plan for combating crime, which includes counseling, job skills training, and free education to combat the root of crime, poverty.
They'll also be focusing on getting more convictions by making better use of the gang membership law and by adding more cameras around the city as opposed to relying so heavily on eyewitnesses.
These were just introduced last month, so we'll wait and see how it pans out.
We'll also wait on the other manifesto promises such as sentencing guidelines and rehabilitative penalties, policing drones, greater use of DNA testing, a new equipped Border Protection Force, greater protection for victims of domestic abuse.
For now, we give this sector a D.
And while most manifesto promises are still just that, the Agriculture sector has seen a lot of movement - even before the PUP were sworn into office. Their first move was to send cattle across the border to Guatemala. Granted, this trading route was illegal at the time, but it was a reprieve for farmers who were losing money every day during the pandemic.
And since then, farmers have even started sending their cattle regularly to Mexico, legally. It's resulted in thousands of cattle gone and millions of dollars generated. And this month saw the largest shipment - over 1,300 animals.
Another major move was restricting the importation of dairy products and vegetables. The ministry's policy now is if we can produce it, we don't need to procure it. Of course, this hasn't gone over well with all of the vegetable vendors and restaurateurs who are forced to use mostly local products, but the ministry isn't budging.
And more recently, Belize has started to export yellow corn to Guatemala, starting a trade agreement between the Cayo Grain Company and Maseca. It's another step closer to expanding the Agriculture industry, so the economy isn't relying solely on tourism.
And this ministry, which is also responsible for enterprise, reopened the Corozal Free Zone. At first, it was alarming since that meant cross border travel and crowds of shoppers - but there has been no major outbreak so, clearly, the COVID measures in place must be working.
But it's not all celebratory cakes and champagne for this sector. Like the UDP, they've come to butt heads with the stevedores. It started when the government gave the greenlight for a sugar ship to head down to the Big Creek Port, resulting in a major loss in annual earnings for the stevedores.
And then it was compounded with the minister's harsh words that the stevedores - a black workforce from the southside who help to keep crime off the streets - need to find something else to do.
And the sugar situation is not out of the woods since there is currently an impasse between the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association and BSR/ASR. With the cane season fast approaching and no negotiations or compromise on the table, it's not looking good. And we've asked the minister about this - twice - and he insists that the government will let them sort it out… good luck with that.
The BSCFA have asked to meet with the PM, and he promised that he'd meet with them this week but so far, we haven't heard an update.
And with two pages of manifesto promises, this ministry still has a long way to go. But we acknowledge the feats they've accomplished so far and decided on a "B-."
So to recap, the PUP got seven grades in all: an A in economy, a B+ in tourism, B- in agriculture, C in housing, C-minuses in education and lands, D's in health and citizen security, and an F in transparency. We'll check back again next year to see if their grades improve.
