We’re Losing Our Country…

Friday, July 16, 2010, 9:03

This news item was posted in News Stories category and has 7 Comments so far.

Listening to the new Minister of Police talk about pot-bellied Police Officers with their guts hanging out and the need for them to start exercising seems like a ridiculous issue to pick up on when you consider all that is happening within the Police Department.

There are serious problems in the Police Department, many of which must be addressed immediately. Far from the most urgent is the need to deal with overweight officers.

In a recent meeting with some members of the Belizeans for Justice it was terrifying to hear that in the streets of Belize City there are allegations of police involvement in the drug trade and stories about the influence certain gang lords have over some members in the Police Department.

Such circumstances give cause to the question: how can our young democracy survive this onslaught of lawlessness and corruption in our society?

Whether it is a good thing or a bad thing, the reality is that we in Belize take our democracy for granted. In this connection, Belizeans have always had a superior attitude over our neighbors, who after years of despotic leaders, are now struggling with their democracy. For many Belizeans the issue of mordida, petty hustling and corruption in government and the Police Department was a Central American issue, not a Belizean one. Drug cartels and gang lords, executions and the like were things that only happened around us, never Belize.

Unfortunately these Cartels have slowly crept into our society like the “mata palo” vine, a parasite that slowly kills the tree. Almost daily the news reports of young Belizeans being senselessly slaughtered and there seems to be no end to the senseless violence.

Looking at Central America, our neighbors are fighting to regain control of their countries and it has been a very difficult and costly fight. Three years ago, Mexican President Calderon declared open war against the Mexican cartels. It has been a battle that is defining his presidency and the future of Mexico’s democracy.

A few months after assuming office in 2006, President Calderon deployed 50,000 troops in a frontal battle against the narcotics cartel. He had crooked cops removed and in some cases incarcerated while he fought the drug cartels. Three years later, the pace of killings is soaring and public security worries are beginning to affect the tourism industry, which employs one out of every eight Mexicans.

While the Mexicans are fighting to restore law and order, Guatemala is also in the middle of its own battle with the drug cartels.

In March 2010, the US State department informed that between 275 to 385 tons of cocaine are transshipped yearly through Guatemala, enough to supply US demands.

Drug gangs operate largely unhindered and homicides continue to soar. Last year of the 6,451 people murdered, only 230 persons were found guilty. Ninety six percent of the killers got away with their crimes.

According to International Crisis Group from Brussels, as many as seven of Guatemala’s twenty-two provinces may not be under government control.

Guatemalan President Alvaro Colom has fired more than 2,000 corrupt cops; jailed two of their last Police Chiefs and two Interior Ministers are fugitives.

With everything that is happening around us, it was inevitable that eventually our peaceful way of life would be affected. The question for us then is what can we do?

As a society we have to first start to obey the law, not just a few, but all of them. Second we need to stop glamorizing drug dealers and gang leaders; from the music we listen to, to the friends we keep. Next we must all report when government officials and police officers demand a bribe from us.

As government we must become a lot more serious about stomping out corruption among political leaders and among government employees.

Yes, we need a fit and health conscious Police Department, but let us start by dealing with the more important issues. And all of us must understand that unless we as a people urgently start to protect the rule of law, we will lose our country.

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7 Responses to “We’re Losing Our Country…”

Sherwood McMillan said on Monday, July 19, 2010, 23:02

Amen! Belize still has a shot at preserving our distinct heritage, but our youth are barraged with the wrong foreign values on every front! With the likes of thieves in the PM’s office and gangbangers like Shoeshyne “representin’ the arts” what message is being sent?
Fonsing said on Monday, July 19, 2010, 23:28

WISHFUL THINKING TO DEAL WITH CORRUPTION.
Anonymous said on Saturday, July 24, 2010, 15:50

Yes, we are loosing our country, however dealing with corruption is not wishful thinking, it may be a very difficult task, but it is more than wishful thinking. The difficulty is that to deal with curruption one would need to first, deal with the top from within. IIn short, there must be purjuing from the top, internallly. Unfortunately, every one is loooking for solutions externaly. This adds up to know more than a blame game coupled with some serious name calling, which is basically, superficial and meaningless. One could write volumes on how to deal with corruption, however we are not ready to deal with the internal aspect and root cause of what is causing corruption in the jewel, we are wasting our time and merely blowing hot air. We need to stop giving lip service and get down to the nitty gritty in terms of soul searching and willingness to deal with our findings. In short Belize has become an instantaneous society, everyone wants everything now, instantly. Unfortunately, no one wants to do the right thing to get the right results, but they want what they want without making a sacrifice. Too bad, nevertheless, certain conditions will bring about certain changes, whether it is a natural disaster, war, etc, etc, Conditions always bring changes.
Bob the retired Builder said on Thursday, July 29, 2010, 0:27

As I look around my home state of California, I see many of the same problems Belize is experiencing. Not on the same level, but caused by the same societal pressures.

When children are exposed to the aura of free money and a life without real work and the position of dominance as a gang member or drug salesman, they are drawn to that lifestyle as a moth is drawn to a flame.

As long as we as a society condone the rap of gang involvment which is portrayed as the position to aspire to, our will continue our downward spiral.

I must say that your spiral has reached the lower heights than ours in the United States as we have not experienced the level of Mafia involvement . That is only due, in my opinion to an effective police department where corruption is dealt with immeadiately and with vigor. In short, you in Belize have a long row to hoe and must reorganize your society on several fronts, not the least of which is your internal law enforcement and your education system.

Will I be relocating to Belize soon? Well, your were on my short list, but now that I have looked deeper, I wont even visit until I see that you have cleaned up your act.
Concerned said on Sunday, August 1, 2010, 12:09

The situation in Belize has created an atmosphere that is ripe for a dictatorship. The problem is that the government continue to govern in the same old way. Doing the same old things hoping to get a diferent result. Only a hardline stand will change things, of course you also need people who know what they are doing to find a solultion to the problem.
I believe that the politicians knows that the damn country is in ruin they just dont know how to fix it. Barrow is asking Belizean Americans to come home and help. The people who need the help will resent the hell out of someone coming to their aid. The first thing they will say is that you are telling them they don’t know what they are doing, instead of looking to learn all they can to fix the problem. Pride goes before a fall. Put pride aside and work towards putting Belize back together again, before all the kings horses and all the kings men cannot put Belize together again.
Sam Glionna U.S. Expat said on Thursday, August 5, 2010, 12:41

First, Belize City and the rest of Belize are almost like two different countries. Second, anyone who thinks looking to the U.S. as a role model is delusional. That country is coming unglued by the corruption, greed, political correctness and social immorality. Go back to Belize basics: Strong families, strong disipline, strong ties to the Church and pride at what has been accomlished as a country. Then make a committment to fix the problems that still exist and instill this in our kids, every day, at home and in the schools. If you’re really serious about making changes for the better, start by eliminating American cable T.V. in the home and get back to the basics of getting to know your neighbors and spending time with your kids. Belize is a wonderful country and in my opinion the good far out weighs the bad.
Doug said on Friday, August 6, 2010, 11:18

WOW!!! I was seriously considering moving my family to Belize but not anymore. And since I would be working out of the country for up to 8 weeks at a time and leaving my family there to fend for themselves, Belize doesn’t seem like such a nice place anymore…how sad.