Opposition Leader Criticizes New State of Emergency as Ineffective Crime Solution

Opposition Leader Moses Shyne Barrow called a press conference today to address several matters of national concern.  At the top of the list was the activation of yet another State of Emergency that will see criminal elements locked up for 90 days at the Belize Central Prison.  These elements have been picked up from parts of the old capital as well as parts of the Cayo District.  It is a strategy that has proven to bring some calm when it comes to major crimes, but in the eyes of Barrow, it is merely a band-aid fix that fails to address the root of the crime problem in Belize.

Moses “Shyne” Barrow, Leader of the Opposition: “There has been a 45% increase in the murder rate. We have 58 murders already from January to June. Whereas last year we had about 40 or maybe 45. And so we have a significant increase in the murder rate. The United Democratic Party has been saying for the last few years that the Prime Minister needed to make adjustments in the Ministry of Police and we stay by that. We have been saying that Chester Williams has reached his expiration date. You know, milk tastes good but after a certain date it is useless. We are seeing that with the Ministry of Police they completely lack leadership. They lack the competence at the two most important positions, which is the Minister of Police, and the Commissioner of Police.”