An Ever Worsening Crime Situation

“THIS IS AN INTOLERABLE SITUATION.”

Harold Crooks

The Crooks Report

The prevalence of violent crime and criminal behavior in Belizean cities and towns continue to plague the Barrow administration. The daily reports of shootings, murders and robberies have dominated the evening news and are negatively impacting the lives of all Belizeans.  Today streets and communities, especially in parts of Belize City, have become hotspots for violent crime and random shootings.

Added to an already volatile situation is the fact that a number of grenades went missing from the British Army Training Unit here in Belize.   Already two of the grenades that were detonated have resulted in death and injury.  Currently 17 grenades remain in the hands of the criminal segment of the population.

In October 2007, in the heat of the UDP election campaign, the UDP candidate for the Caribbean Shores Division and current National Security Minister, Carlos Perdomo stated: “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.”

For the past two years, this 360 degree approach, which was supposed to be a “sustained full court press…” has not resulted in a turnaround in crime and violence in Belize; instead the opposite effect occurred.  Today Belizeans live in fear that they or a member of their family could be next.

In June 2008, the Ministry of National Security hired Mr. Harold Crooks, a Jamaican Law enforcement specialist to do a study on the Belize Police Force.  Six months later the Minister informed the nation that the report was completed.  While the report was only recently tabled, it was comprehensive and offered 167 recommendations.

In the report Mr. Crooks stated that the level of criminal activity in Belize had reached to a level where everyone is now convinced that the government and the law enforcement authorities have lost control. This will not “restore the respect for law and order and recuperate our people’s confidence in our national system of law and order.” Any nation that cannot guarantee the safety of its citizens has failed in its most basic function.

Added to the challenges facing the Ministry of National Security is the issue of the erosion of confidence in the police and the Department as a whole.  In his report Mr. Crooks said: “Left unattended police service delivery will cause continued deterioration in public estimation of the police to a tipping point where it will take years to restore public trust. This will also be powerfully influenced by festering police corruption – if creeping corruption is left unchecked.” He went on to say that “there is ample evidence of creeping corruption among members of the Belize Police Department. International studies have shown that left unchallenged this will fester, and given sufficient time become endemic. This must be confronted with urgency.”

Considering the fact that the Crooks Report was delivered to Perdomo more than a year ago, and in light of the fact that more Belizeans are openly accusing the Police Department of corruption, it is clear that the Minister and his team did not take the warning issued by Mr. Crooks seriously.

The report stated that confronting police corruption has to be integrated with national anti-corruption measures.  His sixty-first recommendation was that “an anti-corruption policy, strategy and public awareness programme be designed along with a NATIONAL ANTI CORRUPTION UNIT consisting of specially vetted and selected staff be organized as a matter of urgency.”

To date there has been no public announcement that this recommendation has been accepted and for sure there has been no urgency to its implementation.

At the last sitting of the House of Representatives, Opposition Leader the Hon. John Briceño asked the Minister of National Security if the recommendations from the Crooks Report were being implemented.  The response from the Minister was long on rhetoric but short on substance.  Certinaly the question was not answered. When Mr. Briceño tried to push further on this issue of great importance to Belizeans, the Speaker of the House, Emil Arguelles, cut him off, a clear abuse of his power and a violation of the standing orders, which allows for follow up questions.

There is a growing frustration among Belizeans over the crime situation and the complete failure of the Minster of National Security and by extension the Barrow Administration to find any lasting solution to this serious problem.

Given all that is occurring in Belize and this administration, Mr. Barrow should remember that the next time the UDP face the electorate it will be their turn to account to Belizeans for their record on the fight against corruption, crime, violence and drugs, which remains at the top of the electorate’s agenda.

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