By Wellington C Ramos:


In almost all the countries in the English-speaking Caribbean crime rates have increased to the point where the governments are frustrated and baffled by the new numbers. Not only have the crimes increased but, when it comes to bodily harm and theft, they are more violent in nature.

In Belize, where I am from, it is gang violence, murders and violent robberies. The rate of crime in a couple months last year may have influenced the early departure of the then Commissioner of Police Gerald Westby, to be replaced by a new Commissioner Crispin Jeffries. Yet, despite the change in the top brass, the difference in numbers is minimal.

In order to solve crimes, the government must find out the true reasons why people choose to commit crimes and come up with a crime prevention plan, which should include the following measures: beat patrol, community policing, criminal intelligence, arrest and conviction of criminals, reforming prisoners, criminal investigation, rehabilitation of deportees, drug eradication, drug rehabilitation, drug treatment programs, youth programs and a confidential Hotline number with rewards.

After a crime is committed, the law enforcement authorities must spend a lot of time trying to detect who committed the crime, which could be avoided if more resources are invested in crime prevention.

I was a member of the Belize Police Force from 1973 to 1978. In those years that I served I gained experience working in most of those areas that I outlined earlier. Orange Walk District had most of the violent bodily harm crimes and Belize City had most of the theft. Residents of Orange Walk District had the economic means to survive and did not need to engage in petty theft. However, the bodily crimes were due to arguments over drugs and bar quarrels that led to outright violence.

Today, I do not know what the current statistics are but, from what I have read in the news, Belize City has taken over crimes in all categories. I worked in Orange Walk District from 1974 to 1977 as a Criminal Investigator and we had a lot of unsolved murder cases. Many of these cases could have been solved if more resources were given to the Orange Walk Police Department. This District is huge and has many villages and people living in them.

I think that people who engage in criminal activities commit crimes out of desperation, make it their lifestyles or have no regard or respect for the citizens of their countries. A government that cannot protect its citizens from these individuals, in a matter of time itself will become a victim of these people.

The population of Belize is small and most Belizeans are related to one another or know each other. Belizeans are not a violent set of people because I have travelled the entire districts and have met Belizeans from all walks of life. I am strongly urging this government to make crime their number one priority this year.

Belizeans coming from the United States are a new breed of criminals with experiences that the average Belizeans do not possess. The government must have a program in place for these individuals that is separate from the Belizean criminals. Weapons of all sorts are coming into Belize from the neighboring countries and that trafficking has to end. Most of the weapons are far more advanced than the weapons available to the members of the Belize Police Force.

If we come together as a people and make up our minds that we are going to address this problem together as one big family, then we will see a major reduction in our crime rates and a better way of life for all Belizeans. The people who visit Belize and the other Caribbean countries have similar experiences in their own countries. The governments should also bring the political leaders from all the political parties and community organizations into this effort because it is a problem that affects every citizen of our country.

February 6, 2010

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