Barrow’s ‘peace truce’ blows up

Friday, October 7, 2011, 14:57

This news item was posted in Headline category and has 9 Comments so far.

PM shamelessly admits he was extorted by gangs

Belize City, October 5, 2011

It was another grandstand. The Prime Minister had supposedly cut short a conference in the Caribbean to fly home and negotiate a gang truce, or should we say another gang truce. It was the third or fourth gang truce Barrow bragged about. Belizeans will recall him posing for the cameras along with a sheepish and confused looking Police Minister at his side just before last month’s 10th of September celebrations.

Barrow had, only days before, unleashed his brutal gang unit upon the residents of George Street, many of whom included his voters and members whom he knows belonged to the notorious George Street gang. The brutality meted out to the family of the gang members unleashed a new level of fury in which the gang vowed that there would be revenge against Barrow. A frightened Prime Minister flew back home and word from the gang was that big money in the thousands would soon flow their way. It has all come crashing down now.

As news spread this morning, Wednesday, October 5th 2011, of a series of daring armed robberies in Belize City and two shootings of which one was a murder, it was quite obvious that the atmosphere of fear and mayhem had returned. At the same time, Prime Minister Dean Barrow was on a radio morning talk-show sending off chilling news that indeed more mayhem may come.

While on the accommodating KREM WUB morning show, Barrow said that his so called “gang truce” carefully arranged with about a dozen members of notorious neighbourhoods in Belize City was over. Barrow explained that to get those individuals to agree on ‘keeping the peace’ some of them demanded an easy pay-off, but the Prime Minister instead offered to give a weekly job salary funded by tax payers.

There were allegations that some of the gangs actually did receive huge sums of monies. There was a flurry of intense criticism towards the PM’s approach. Barrow was seen as giving in to the demands of “criminals”, negotiating with “terrorists”, or allowing himself to be extorted by criminals.

Well, today the Prime Minister admitted that the critics were right. Barrow said that he was informed yesterday that members of the gangs were “demanding” his presence at every meeting held by a steering committee or else “things would get extremely iffy”.

According to Barrow, some “gang” leaders have demanded that “if he doesn’t come to the meetings we won’t”. Others have said that they will not attend meetings unless they are paid, said the Prime Minister.

The deadlock spells trouble for an already crime-ridden, terror-fatigued and grieving society. The murder count is nearing the 110 mark, as killings occurred in the Cayo, Belize, and Orange Walk Districts over the last week. But the Prime Minister apparently sees things differently, with lesser exigency. He maintains that September was an “incident-free month” in the city despite the fact that there were two shooting deaths, one which involved the killing of 9 year old Joshua Abraham on Victoria Street on Independence Day, September 21st.

The Prime Minister claimed that he didn’t know of any rivalry between the Victoria Street and Kelly Street factions, which have resulted in at least three shooting murders. He claimed that because he didn’t know, those two groups were not part of the mediation.

But the Prime Minister has a bigger problem in his hands. All of his administration’s anti-crime plans have turned complete failures. Underlining this was today’s pronouncement by Barrow that his highly-touted job programme for “15 high-energy gang members and affiliates” launched on Budget Day is now dead! The Prime Minister said several of the “gang” members he identified for the special job programme only showed up to work for 2 to 3 weeks, but wanted to turn out every week for their cheques. Barrow said because of that he has “shutdown the programme”.

Since taking over the reins of Government, the Barrow Administration has consistently failed to offer any realistic plans to tackle crime. This is why every year the crime rate has escalated, with last year’s murder count standing at 132. They first proposed “Vision 360” in October 2007, which the former Minister of National Security Carlos Perdomo promised in heavy highfalutin language that it would have offered “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”…there’s more…“ 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”.

That plan failed miserably, and so did the visionless Minister who was kicked out of the Ministry. His successor, rejected politician Douglas Singh, has done no better. What followed next was Operation Jaguar, which also fettered away. Next was the ban on vehicle glass tinting, and Restore Belize, which has become one giant red-tape bureaucracy, and then there is the big bad GSU. All of Barrow’s great plans have turned out sour, because they lack the exact substance he promises. They are neither well planned nor strategic. A real crime plan, as proposed by the People’s United Party, will tackle the root of crime which is poverty and a lack of opportunities, while building the capacity of law enforcement.

While Barrow plays petty games with crime, the sad reality is that he does it at the expense of hundreds of innocent Belizeans’ lives.

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9 Responses to “Barrow’s ‘peace truce’ blows up”

Ricky Malthus said on Saturday, October 8, 2011, 9:19

Barrow has a plan to use existing government resources to facilitate his grab for permanent political, economic,legal,and social power in Belize. For this reason alone, he is overturning all the laws of Belize by ramming down our throats this Ninth Amendment. You see his plan is dictatorship but he cannot come out and say so openly so he uses political trickery to gain this end. He uses the gang situation to continue the destablization of the country while he uses Caricom to seed Belize with all that Caribbean junked, failed, psuedo-intellectualism from our Supreme Court to our bastion of academic freedom at University of Belize. Many Belizean intellectuals came to Belize to help to govern the country in the fields of Law, Economics and Finance, Agriculture, to name a few but they were met with racial prejudice so they returned whence they came, the most recent being Ms. Matus at the Belize Tourism Board. The undercurrent for leaving is always the same—Racism. One can only survive if one is black African descent and toe the line of barrow who has pledged overtly and covertly to demonstrate black faces in all government and private jobs he can control and he will destroy that which he can’t control. So every non-black belizean leaves after a short sojourn. Another example of overt racism is Harmonyville started by Petillo and John Saldivar. Saldivar passed insider information to steal land from absentee landlord to protest “Paisas” from squatting on said land. No mention is made of legal rights of dispossessed owner, and we are supposed to live in a land of rule of law. But what if the laws are illegal per se? Next we come to Barrow himself who is committing an illegal act with this beast of Ninth Amendment. But he cannot see the end of this mad dash to entrench himself with power. But I tell you it won’t last but just for a little while and then there will be no more Barrow, no more Caribbean Hegemons, no more black racism couched in political insouciance and public ignorance. But Barrow must be gone to save and take back the country from the malcontents and mischief makers as George Cadle Price use to say.
stan said on Saturday, October 8, 2011, 12:23

I know you won’t publish my comment because we have to put a united face in public but I have to get this off my chest.

I am disappointed. Johnny was the one who followed his conscience and resigned from cabinet when Said wanted to give UHS so much million. The puppet masters in the party did not give him a chance to make his own policies. Said-Fonseca-Marin alliance were always undermining him as they felt that they had a birth rite to lead the party. Johnny was left between a rock and a hard place because those who were opposed to his leadership and those who represented intrests which were not PUP intrests or Belizean intrests controlled the party purse and had a lot of clout. I could see that Johnny was not really all about these anti 9th bogus arguments, but you have to say what the puppet masters say. How can a man who thought it was wrong to give UHS 30 mil suddenly be against nationalization of a key player in the utilitty industry.? A business too big too fail. You cant be a political party and at the same time act as a proxy for a man who is all about business at the expense of Belizeans. I was suprised Johnny allowed himself to lead a party which did not have Belizeans at heart once they were out of power and their treacherous acts had been exposed to the nation. Johnny had made peace with the people of Belize when he resigned from cabinet because it was an admission that that governement was corrupt and he could not keep pretending that all was well. We will see whether those whom feel they have a birth rite to lead the party will show resistance to Espat’s leadership. I still feel that Cordel should not be made a key player by Espat because Cordel has the Scholarship scandal skeletons in his closet. At least Espat does not have that kind of dirt on his name.
Constance Cameron said on Saturday, October 8, 2011, 14:17

I was wondering as to why the present and future prime ministers of Belize invite the former governor/mayor Cocks of New York in the 1070’s. He did the impossible and cleaned up New York City crime. Why can’t the PM is this beautiful country ask for help or is he to proud. You have already noticed that a lot of us, tourists, visit your country year round. Soon, if at the rate of intentional homicide escalates that beloved money generating tourism industry, $284m annually, will dry up just like as has been in Mexico. It is a shameful that this little country with at least population of all of Central America now ranks 6th in world for intentional homicide. If this new of intentional homicide is spread to blogs in Canada, USA and Europe can you image the effect this would have on tourism in Belize? I noticed a lot of young people graduates of June 2011 from universities are wondering the streets without jobs. What is the government of Belize doing without the millions of dollars donated from Canada, Britain, other EU countries, Saudi Arab, USA? It is obviously, the monies are been used for personal gains other than looking after the people of Belize. How can the people of Belize be proud when there is high unemployment, high rate crime, poor housing, high school fee etc… I seem to me that the Central America is no different from the Banana Republic where corruption is rampant and no one cares about the little guys who is working hard to support their families while politicians and and off-shore business people reap and raze this beautiful country. What a shame.
Concerned Visitor from Canada
Retired CEO said on Monday, October 10, 2011, 7:36

Pure nonsense, incompetent government officials negotiating with common criminals. This sounds like a government that is bankrupt in terms of new ideas coupled with inability to delineate politics from gang/criminal activities and rogue/out of control politicians/cops. While it remains an important issue of the day, to bring the gang/crime situation under control, our leaders should not stoop this low to conquer, muchless for the countrys’ CEO to meet with them is a big mistake. It apparently empowers them and legitimize their activities, while giving rise to the idea of some kind of partnership in the scheme of things in Belize. This is wrong and cannot be accepted by any civil society. Despite how corrupted the GOB may appear, we should not legitimize gangs/criminal activities. No matter who they are cops, unscrupolus politicians/businessmen etc, etc.
cayobway said on Thursday, October 13, 2011, 12:20

this is quite comical, the udp mouthpiece and the punk ass editor makes no mention of this incident in his newspaper, what happen to the comment he made while trying to downgrade gina ,noballs( nobles )said that he prints things that people want to read. Well what the hell is he waiting for? we want to see this headline in his bias ass paper.
Professor Michael Brown said on Thursday, October 13, 2011, 13:56

I continue to believe the crime problem in Belize can be solved…and would love an opportunity to revamp the criminal justice system in Belize using the University of Belize. mtbsr55@yahoo.com
Shawn M said on Saturday, October 15, 2011, 13:01

It disheartens a proud Belizean to see the level of mistrust and blant lack of common sense the UDP administration is displaying. I beg to wonder at what downgraded level the executive bodies of this country wants the Belizean public to accept. If the prime minister of this country is now being a subject illegal negotiations with gangs, how far will the public see eye to eye with such a comical move. Belizeans open your eyes.
sidney said on Wednesday, November 30, 2011, 13:04

politicians destroy lives of many innocents
Tim said on Friday, December 2, 2011, 14:56

With the changing of the guard in the Police Commissioner’s office, We have a great opportunity to make substantive changes in fighting the rampant violent crime wave. My hat is off to Mr. Jefferies for his service to the country, but having virtually stopped issuing hand gun permits to honest citizens and residents has left us defenseless against the criminals. It’s time for that to change.

When considering natural Law, our God gave us a natural right essential to the preservation of life and liberty. The Supreme Being invested man with an inviolable right to personal liberty and personal safety. This great natural law of self-preservation should not be superseded, or suspended by any human institution.

Positive Law generally used to describe man-made laws which bestow specific privileges upon, or remove them from, an individual or group. The Belize Constitution, city ordinances and such represents positive law. Even the Belize Constitution acknowledges the human right to self-defense.

Under Part 2 of the Constitution we are granted these “Protection of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms:

3. Whereas every person in Belize is entitled to the fundamental rights
and freedoms of the individual, that is to say, the right, whatever his race,
place of origin, political opinions, colour, creed or sex, but subject to respect
for the rights and freedoms of others and for the public interest, to each and
all of the following, namely-
(a) life, liberty, security of the person, and the protection of the
law;
(b) freedom of conscience, of expression and of assembly and
association;
(c) protection for his family life, his personal privacy, the privacy
of his home and other property and recognition of his
human dignity;

Although we have the God-given right to protect ourselves, family and property, it’s impossible to do when criminals are running around everywhere with 9mm hand guns and assault rifles single shot shotgun is useless when someone rides up on a bicycle when you are out on the street and starts shooting at you.

Why have the brass flouting our human rights when the criminals don’t care, they are going to commit crime anyway. It’s time to stop this silliness and let the honest people be able to arm and defend ourselves against this tidal wave of violent crime. Now is the time for change.