Barrow is bogus

by glenntillett@yahoo.com

“The UDP therefore proposes a three sixty degree multi-prong strategy for restoring the respect for law and order in Belize. This dynamic and creative three sixty degree approach will enable us to focus simultaneously on the various social culprits and problems in order to execute a sustained full court press attack on each issue, from all angles, in a well planned strategic and synchronized manner which with immediate medium and long term courses of implementation will restore the respect for law and order and recuperate our people’s confidence in our national system of law and order by initiating a multiple front, simultaneous and energetic engagement of the causes of crime and poverty and existing widespread corruption and on the alarming intensity of criminal activity.” – Carlos Perdomo, UDP Standard Bearer, October 17, 2007

“I want to indicate that together with all this, the UDP government will set up within the first six months of taking officer, a DNA unit at the National Forensics Lab. It seems to me that when we can dispose of $30 million from DFC in one day, when we can give a group of companies almost a $100 million, surely we can find the half a million dollars that’s necessary to establish the DNA facility.” – Hon. Dean Barrow, UDP Leader, October 17, 2007

Today is Wednesday, February 10, 2010, and as I listen to Dean Barrow in the same room talk about crime fighting as he did 4 months before the last general elections, and two years and two days into his term as Prime Minister, I wonder if there is really anything else that needs be said.

Barrow is bogus. Two years later none of the promises he and his proposed minister of national security made that day have been fulfilled, especially the DNA unit at the National Forensics lab.

Barrow said today that his new 360 degree vision to stem the rising tide of violent criminal activity, (and please note he never once in any way indicated, not even by innuendo that any of these were his minister’s ideas), would consist of firstly expediting promotions to enhance morale among the ranks of the Police Department. Promotions and confirmations to posts have been delayed without explanation, and Barrow did not bother explaining either.

Dean Barrow well knows that the greatest moral enhancer he could give our uniformed forces would be to relieve Carlos Perdomo of his command.

I’m glad he did a U turn, 180 degrees and reversed course on the matter of new recruitment. It had been reported that they did not intend to have a recruit class this year but today he announced that they will recruit 100 new officers by the end of March. Here’s hoping that there are 100 Belizeans willing to make the sacrifice but my recommendation would be that they specifically make an attempt to recruit and again attempt an officers’ cadet corp.

I thought that an effort to better coordinate the resources represented by the various anti-gang, anti-drugs anti-everything units was a no-brainer but then again, it’s Carlos isn’t it?

Again Barrow announced the regularization of Jeffries saturation strategy of bringing officers from district formations to Belize City. It sounds to me like 12 officers will be rotated into the City on a weekly basis, and I’m sure the guys will be thrilled at the news. It speaks volumes that he did not bother to address the voluminous complaints about the lack of overtime pay or reciprocal time off for these officers. Like I said, they will be thrilled to make the sacrifice.

I’ll be the first to admit that the “stationary mobile” patrol buses sounds a lot to me like an oxymoron, but Barrow may be right that it’s not. Don’t get me wrong, I like the idea but I wonder if it comes out of their stubborn refusal to consider precinct policing? The former is short-term while the latter is longer term in terms of results analysis. I hope that at least in Barrow’s mind, the former doesn’t make the latter redundant.

The Minister of Finance sought to assure us that he will look for money to spend on improving policing, particularly to improve intelligence gathering and to purchase a couple of unmarked cars. It wasn’t clear if the money will be to pay informants or hire more officers so I’ll resist being snide. I must, however, point out that I see a number of unmarked, unlicensed, fully tinted government vehicles on the streets and roads being driven by persons I believe are in the employ of the Government of Belize. Couldn’t those be utilized by the Police Department?

And oh, about that DNA unit? Barrow said it best, and I quote: “I am determined to provide to the security forces either this IBIS, this Integrated Ballistics Information System … or the DNA lab, whichever of them is cheaper … whichever is less expensive … but I am making a personal commitment we will go with one or the other within the next month or so.”

Wasn’t it Simon and Garfunkel who sang that promises are just a pocketful of mumbles?

Barrow the Bogus makes yet another promise. Just as I was thinking that he was finally treating starting to treat the increasing incidents of violent crime as the crisis it is, he reverts to form and promises us that his solution and our salvation lie in more promises.

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