– Press Release, Belmopan, October 11, 2012 – The Prime Minister of Belize, the Hon. Dean Barrow, has offered his congratulations and thanks to the thousands of Belizeans from the Cayo District and across the country who participated in the San Ignacio/Santa Elena peaceful protest against crime. The Prime Minister views this latest mass action against the greatest scourge in our country, as a continuation of the same Cayo spirit and resolve that he highlighted in his Independence Day Address.
The Prime Minister also acknowledges that it remains Government’s primary responsibility to safeguard citizens in Cayo and all of Belize. He therefore reiterates the commitments he made in his meeting with the leaders of the Solidarity Movement for Justice and Peace. Accordingly, the Government of Belize will:
1. Immediately provide additional resources (including vehicles) to the Cayo Formation of the Belize Police Department;
2. Implement a sexual offenders registry and monitoring system;
3. Operationalize immediately after the official handover of the technology and equipment by the Canadian Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs this Friday, the Integrated Ballistics Identification System (IBIS);
4. Ensure, together with the Magistracy and Judiciary, the proper enforcement of the laws governing denial of bail in cases of sexual and other serious offences;
5. Fast-track the efforts with the Government of the United States to finalize arrangements for an expert in DNA Science to be attached to Belize’s National Forensic Science Service to mentor our local analysts as well as to act as a professional witness for cases having to do with forensic evidence.
6. Strengthen the Police Prosecution branch and institute greater coordination between the Police and the Office of the Director of the Public Prosecution to ensure more effectiveness in the investigation and preparation of cases for prosecution.
In ending, the Prime Minister reassures the Cayo communities and the entire Nation that the war on crime will not slacken but be heightened by increased human and material resource allocation.
Message from University of Belize President – Eternal Flame of Peace March
Dear Colleagues, Students, Members of the Board of Trustees, and Alumni of the University of Belize
The University of Belize recognizes the participation of students, faculty and staff in the “Eternal Flame of Peace March” in honor of the memory of their classmates and friends – Norval Belisle Jr. and Suzenne Martinez.
The University of Belize remains concerned about the rise of crime and social breakdown in our society. It will continue to explore ways of addressing these issues as part of its mission to address national development issues and to educate our students to become the leaders of the future.
The murders of our students should encourage us all to explore ways to make our communities safer places. We hope that this traumatic period will open new and wide-ranging efforts among members of the University and the wider community to establish avenues of civil debate and discussion about the many challenges posed by the rise of crime and violence. We must also remember the advice offered by Martin Luther King, Jr. – The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education.
As members of the University community and educated people, our charge should remain focused upon building a better world.
