Community Policing Unit Engages Youths with Airport Tour

It’s summer vacation for students, and the Community Policing Unit of the Belize Police Department is hosting a series of activities to keep youths positively engaged. Today, the unit took a group of students for a tour of the Philip Goldson International Airport. Reporter Benjamin Flowers has the story.

Benjamin Flowers, Love News: There’s a first time for everything. And for 50 students from across the Belize district, today was the first time they visited the Philip Goldson International Airport. The Community Policing Unit of the Belize Police Department organized a tour for students ages 8 to 15 to expose them to experiences outside of their day-to-day environment. National Commander of Community Policing, Assistant Commissioner of Police Howell Gillett says the participants have visited the courts and seen the results of bad decisions so it was important to show them the possibilities that come with making positive choices.

Howell Gillet, Assistant Commissioner of Police: “It has to be keeping young people positive. With this set of kids, they have been to the courts, both the magistrate and the high court. They have been to the prison, so they have seen the justice system and where bad decisions could end you up. So we wanted to show them that because they are living the reality sometimes in the communities that they come from, but what we are doing for them today is that we are showing them if you remain positive, better could happen for you. But we want to open up their minds. So we are hoping that this… will transcend into greater things not just now but way into the future. We want them to say, you know what, I want to become a pilot because of the discussions they’ve  had since morning. I want to become a custom officer or an integration officer. That’s the kind of memories we want to leave with them.”

Benjamin Flowers, Love News: The students got to go through airport security. Unfortunately, cameras were not allowed in that area. Then moved through the lobby onto the tarmac and even got to ascend the ramp as if boarding an Alaska Airlines flight. Marsha Hinkson, Belize Airport Concession Company’s duty manager, says youth tours are a regular thing at the airport, but this group’s tour was special. 

Marsha Hinkson, Duty Manager, Belize Airport Concession Company: “We have had many school visits. That is something that happens every year. We get requests from schools. They don’t go as in-depth as this group has gone. And we also do have a program for the children of our staff members who do come in and do some work for us as well. We started them off by pretending that they’re leaving the country, so they went through the security checkpoint, they went into the departure lounge, they went on the air side, the ramp, and they got to see an aircraft up close and personal. Unfortunately we couldn’t get them inside today, not the big one, but we will do a small aircraft. We then pretended that we just came into the country and we got processed through immigration, customs, BAHA and they saw the duty free shops so they got explanations from all those persons and then they arrived coming out of the arrival hall and they were met by the media because they are celebrities. We do understand the situation where our youths are at risk and we do want to show them some positive careers that they can get themselves into.”

Benjamin Flowers, Love News: The youth also got briefings on departure and arrivals from the varying agencies at the PGA and shared their favorite parts of the tour. 

Josiah Requena, Participant: “It was my first time and my experience was happiness and excitement to come in the airport and visit it. Then they took us to the plane. I took pictures of myself. I was so happy touching that plane for the first time and the plane was very big, a really big plane.”

Kyfeira Lino, Participant: “It was my first time, I was excited when I saw how they worked with the luggage and the scanning and how they deal with the suitcase and if you lose it you could get it back quick.”

Benjamin Flowers, Love News: What was your favourite part of the trip? 

Kyfeira Lino, Participant: “When we walked up the thing to go into the airplane. I want to come back again because when I’m done with high school, I want to go study abroad.”

Benjamin Flowers, Love News: During the tour, students also visited the fire station on the airport compound, air traffic control and the National Meteorological Service. Benjamin Flowers, For Love News.