Strange Things..!

By: Mike Rudon Jr.

Cynical and cold-hearted fool that I admit to being, the picture of 8 year old Marquis Mahler on the front page of Tuesday’s Amandala shook me up. I guess that particular photo of the child so full of life and mischief and joy must have been chosen for effect, and it worked. Imagine that all he was, all he could have been was snuffed out for absolutely no good reason by a monster that stood over him and shot him seven times. The horror of it is gut-wrenching. I know that I would not be able to live under the burden of that grief if such a tragedy was visited upon me. For the family right now, I can imagine that no words have been created which will give some small measure of comfort. The community in which he lived has been left in shock; the nation is sickened and angry.

But that is the reality of life on Belize’s streets today. After the horror at this heinous crime comes the realization that every young man who lies bleeding on the street, riddled by bullets in a seemingly unending war, is somebody’s son, somebody’s father, somebody’s brother, somebody’s provider. The callous murder of this innocent child hits hard, but just two weeks ago, a teenage girl was shot in the head at close range, another victim of the gang war. Just two weeks ago, a mother had to identify the decomposed remains of her teenage daughter who had been dumped like garbage on the side of the road. Not so long ago, a little girl was the innocent victim of a ride-by shooting and was paralyzed. The prognosis for a full recovery is grim. There are so many stories of the casualties of a war which has taken over our streets; so many stories of the victims whose lives were snuffed out by the epidemic of violence which is sweeping our nation.

Listen, we are at the point where the major cruise company coming to our shores is reportedly considering bypassing Belize as a destination. Foreign countries which funnel tourists into our country are issuing advisories warning their nationals that visiting the ‘jewel’ is a risky proposition. We have been named the murder capital of the world. And that’s only the effect on the tourism dollar. On the home front residents in the city have been paralyzed by fear. Business owners open stores knowing they are taking their lives and the lives of their employees. We are not safe on the streets. We are not safe in our homes – just ask the parents of 8 year old Marquis Mahler who was playing contentedly in his yard when death was brought to him.

I can be pretty damned hateful when I choose, but I cannot even begin to express my disbelief and anger and frustration at the new Minister of Police Doug Singh. On the very same newscast which carried the story of 8 year old Marquis Mahler, there was a comment from Mr. Singh. But it wasn’t about the ruthless, cold shooting of the young boy or the murder of a man just seconds before. Nope, our Minister of Police didn’t have a thing to say about that. Guess he was just too busy or distracted to pay that little thing called murder any attention. See, our Minister of Police was wholly focused on challenging what he calls big-bellied Policemen to a two mile run, 75 pushups and 25 chin-ups. He said absolutely nothing about Marquis Mahler, but a lot about some stupid competition between him and a bunch of sweaty, pot-bellied Policemen. This is no laughing matter.

The fact is that I’ve heard the comments about Singh’s lifestyle; I’ve seen the cartoons depicting him in outlandish gear. Hell, I’ve probably been responsible for a few of those comments and cartoons myself. The truth of the matter is that Doug Singh’s behavior is his own business, but when that behavior appears to be tainting or directing his actions in office, that’s a whole other can of beans. When Mr. Singh’s first priority and ‘numero uno’ mission in crime-fighting seems to be opening a gym where policemen can go work out, I think there’s something seriously wrong with that. When Mr. Singh ignores the blood on the streets in favour of the sweat running down Policemen’s backs as they run two miles, do 75 pushups and 25 chin ups, I think there is something seriously wrong with that. I am flabbergasted at the focus of this gentleman who was supposed to provide the answers to the ever escalating crime wave.

I am furious at the appearance that Mr. Singh is more concerned with childish competitions and one-upmanship and ‘funny’ games than in fighting crime where it exists. If Mr. Singh persists in what seems to be a very queer course of action in his dealings with the Police Department, there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that crime and violence will not only continue unabated but will escalate and grow and intensify until our nation will be just a dark shadow of its once vibrant self. Singh is obviously not the man for the job. The sad thing is that while all of us can understand that right off, Mr. Barrow usually takes a couple years to get the message. By then it might be too late.

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