Both Area Representative, Hon. Manuel Heredia Jr. and San Pedro Mayor Daniel Guerrero promised to work harder to reduce crime in the community of San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize, as residents held a “Walk for Peace” on Thursday, May 7, 2015, to express their concerns over crime on the island and bring community leaders together to listen to them.
As the families of both murdered taxi drivers mourned the death of their loved ones, the members of the various taxi associations asked the organization Footprints for Peace to organize a “Walk for Peace” event. It gave members of the community the opportunity to share their concerns over the safety of their families and show support for one another, especially to those who are still grieving the loss of their loved ones lost to crime.
But Mayor Daniel Guerrero stated that he is working diligently in setting up police substations at the various neighborhoods, stepping up patrols and being more vigilant. He asked of island residents to do their part in helping the authorities fight crime. Already, the surveillance camera program to map all of downtown is starting to show promise as people and businesses are backing the initiative.
The general consensus of those in attendance is that they know that their island community is troubled with crime that has become a consequence of the island’s fast growth in becoming a touristic destination. But residents are hopeful that their island leaders will step up to the challenge that has been set on them, that to fight crime, lessen the presence of criminal element on the island and restore peace and a sense of safety into each home in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye.
