Re: Crooks, Crime & Cussedness

If crime is to be solved, the first thing that has to happen is that the criminals that made up the last administration must be jailed for life without the possibility of parole. And that includes you Godfrey.

Re: Crooks, Crime & Cussedness

I sense your exasperation about national security and the depressing ineptitude to begin the work of solving the many issues related to National Security.
Personally I am miffed at this singular issue because as far as I know, I am the first to have made the Crooks Report Public, my less enlightened critics killed my weekly series in the National Perspective because they thought it was boring. ...And there were those in the police who thought that I was attacking their organization. So I ask which way is up?!
Though there are many who would like to see the Crooks Report die a natural death, I will not let it...I have distributed many copies to all who request it. But alas...my colleagues in the media have chosen to ignore it or just mention in passing...it is all a conspiracy and our national security is a national joke and political pawn.

Re: Crooks, Crime & Cussedness

Not only is our national security a joke, but the Minister himself is a buffoon. The man makes no sense when he speaks, so expect nothing great coming out of his departments. Mr. Smith, I agree that the opposition needs to work together with the government to bring down the crime rate and stop the finger-pointing. BTW, what's up with the small font used? You hesitant in publishing this one? Or you yourself aren't convinced of what you wrote?

Re: Crooks, Crime & Cussedness

One of the roots of the problem is lack of money. What we pay our security officers is a joke from the Commissioner straight down to the Corporals. If we cannot find money to pay apropriate salaries then we will forever have a Police Department riddled with ineptitude and ignorance.

Which intelligent, young, motivated Belizean would want to work in a Department where you are paid $600.00 a month, you are overworked with little time off and absolutely no overtime is paid,the offices are dirty and smelly, little or no bathroom facilities exist, you are given 2 uniforms for the year, you have to hitchhike to and from home because no sleeping quarters are afforded for out district officers and your salary cannot pay for passage, your senior officers can't even mutter a proper sentence in English yet will bark instructions at you: I could go and and on.The point is that we need to make the Police Service more attractive to people as a career choice. Offer much better salaries, scholarship opporttunities etc. etc. There is a need in the police department for almost every professional such as lawyers, forensic scientists, forensic pathologists, chemists, physicists, engineers, philosphers etc.

But more importantly what we lack is the political will because where there is a will there is a way. With the Billions of dollars squandered by the previous administration (of which Godfrey was a part) as well as the millions being squandered by this current administration we could have already had a top notch ballistics lab, dna lab, forensic and ballistics databases, improved infrastructure in Polioce Stations countrywide. Alas we prefer to put the monies into our own pockets, such as the millions creamed off from Belipo.

Thinking about these things really depresses me because there will never be any solution as long as we keep electing thieves and morons to high offices.

Re: Crooks, Crime & Cussedness

I am ware of the many ways money has been squandered by various individuals ; however, I really would like to read The Crook's Report so that I could make an informed analysis of cause and effect. A cursory look tells me that the police department should be revamped from the top down. Recruitment for the top position should be canvass from the outside. Revamp the salary scale to attract more qualified individuals.

Re: Crooks, Crime & Cussedness

Anyone interested in seeing the Crooks Report in it's entirety may email me at rhenaebz@yahoo.com

Re: Crooks, Crime & Cussedness

Intolerant of... If the entire past administration were all jailed or executed "fus ting da mawnin" would there be less shooting, grenade attacks, stabbings ??? Would you feel much safer that same night and go back to the old days of sleeping with your doors open etc.? If your answer is yes... Then there is a nice new dwelling place for you in Belmopan called Mountain view ... Tonite, stand in front of a morror, point to the person staring back at you and firmly inform him that he is the biggest hypocrie you have ever met.

Re: Crooks, Crime & Cussedness

It is very interesting that ex-minister Godfrey Smith suddenly has all these brilliant ideas and sophisticated responses to situations and issues in Belize. These are very good indeed but when he was a minister he did nothing but fulfill his greed. Now that he has reaped the benefits and had no impact while he was elected he is singing like a black bird!

Re: Crooks, Crime & Cussedness

Re Action

You have conceded that the ideas are good. They should be adopted regardless of who proposed them. Shooting down good ideas because they are 'PUP' ideas or whatever will get us nowhere fast.

Re: Crooks, Crime & Cussedness

You Know, I must concede I find myself agreeing a little with you, Re Action. Despite Godfrey's failures in the past, he indeed appears to be making some good suggestions. I'm actually beginning to sense some genuineness in Godfrey's commentaries. Doesn't mean I'm not still intolerant of Hypocrites. Could be that he is effectively shedding his hypocrisy. I hope it's not premarture, but I'm beginning to feel this guy might actually be redeemable afterall. Besides, the main issue here is not Godfrey. It's solving the problem of crime which, frankly speaking, neither started nor will end with this administration. A criminal is not created in two years. Neither is poverty, which is one of the root causes. Good suggestions Godfrey. Let's hope we can implement them along with all the other good suggestions out there. besides the Economy, crime is the Biggest issue and we must attack it with all our minds and all our might.

Re: Crooks, Crime & Cussedness

I don't always agree with Godfrey, but I am glad that he is provoking discourse on a very serious problem. He is putting his great writing skills to trigger a discussion between us all.

Re: Crooks, Crime & Cussedness

Is the "idle", "nonsensical", "boilerplate", "politics-as-usual" approach not the same that you used to SPOUT when you were a Minister of Cabinet Godfrey P.? If you live in a glass house, don't go throwing stones. The PEN is an ALL POWERFUL TOOL but it's WORTHLESS when one considers the person HOLDING it - GET REAL!!

Re: Crooks, Crime & Cussedness

Let's also stop behaving as though the drug trade is a myth in Belize.

The big fish have invested very much into the development of Belize, so I understand that our political leaders are scared of prosecuting them and throwing the economy into even more disarray.

But, I think the crookedness that falls from the drug trade will continue to taint our internal security force. As long as drug lords continue to operate as they do, things will never change.

Re: Crooks, Crime & Cussedness

I think that the PUP's call for the resignation of Minister Perdomo is politics as usual, but he should still resign. He should do so because he does not have the stature, personal ability, intellegence and temparament to be a Minister of National Security. He is not the man for the job and never was not because he could not miraculously solve crime in two years, but because he does not command the respect of the society whom he is to serve. I feel disrespected that with all that is happening we have not heared one word from our sherrif. It sends the worng message and made me lose the little confidence that I had reposed in Perdomo. So I agree with most of what you said, but I think you should lend your voice to the cry for the resignation of Minister Perdomo. He gotta go mein.

Re: Crooks, Crime & Cussedness

Someone with national security and military training would be good and not necessarily with political experience. A respected BDF head honcho perhaps?

Re: Crooks, Crime & Cussedness

I was disappointed with the Belize Times that even after Godfrey Smith's careful analysis of the feasibility of the Crook's Report, they still went ahead and published an editorial with "shallow, thoughtless statements about crime" in Belize. Did the editor not read Godfrey's column??

BELIZE TIMES EDITORIAL, published, March 5, 2010
http://www.belizetimes.bz/2010/03/05/an-ever-worsening-crime-situation/

THIS IS AN INTOLERABLE SITUATION.”

Harold Crooks

The Crooks Report


The prevalence of violent crime and criminal behavior in Belizean cities and towns continue to plague the Barrow administration. The daily reports of shootings, murders and robberies have dominated the evening news and are negatively impacting the lives of all Belizeans. Today streets and communities, especially in parts of Belize City, have become hotspots for violent crime and random shootings.

Added to an already volatile situation is the fact that a number of grenades went missing from the British Army Training Unit here in Belize. Already two of the grenades that were detonated have resulted in death and injury. Currently 17 grenades remain in the hands of the criminal segment of the population.

In October 2007, in the heat of the UDP election campaign, the UDP candidate for the Caribbean Shores Division and current National Security Minister, Carlos Perdomo stated: “The UDP therefore proposes a three sixty degree multi-prong strategy for restoring the respect for law and order in Belize. This dynamic and creative three sixty degree approach will enable us to focus simultaneously on the various social culprits and problems in order to execute a sustained full court press attack on each issue, from all angles, in 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 by 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.”

For the past two years, this 360 degree approach, which was supposed to be a “sustained full court press…” has not resulted in a turnaround in crime and violence in Belize; instead the opposite effect occurred. Today Belizeans live in fear that they or a member of their family could be next.

In June 2008, the Ministry of National Security hired Mr. Harold Crooks, a Jamaican Law enforcement specialist to do a study on the Belize Police Force. Six months later the Minister informed the nation that the report was completed. While the report was only recently tabled, it was comprehensive and offered 167 recommendations.

In the report Mr. Crooks stated that the level of criminal activity in Belize had reached to a level where everyone is now convinced that the government and the law enforcement authorities have lost control. This will not “restore the respect for law and order and recuperate our people’s confidence in our national system of law and order.” Any nation that cannot guarantee the safety of its citizens has failed in its most basic function.

Added to the challenges facing the Ministry of National Security is the issue of the erosion of confidence in the police and the Department as a whole. In his report Mr. Crooks said: “Left unattended police service delivery will cause continued deterioration in public estimation of the police to a tipping point where it will take years to restore public trust. This will also be powerfully influenced by festering police corruption – if creeping corruption is left unchecked.” He went on to say that “there is ample evidence of creeping corruption among members of the Belize Police Department. International studies have shown that left unchallenged this will fester, and given sufficient time become endemic. This must be confronted with urgency.”

Considering the fact that the Crooks Report was delivered to Perdomo more than a year ago, and in light of the fact that more Belizeans are openly accusing the Police Department of corruption, it is clear that the Minister and his team did not take the warning issued by Mr. Crooks seriously.

The report stated that confronting police corruption has to be integrated with national anti-corruption measures. His sixty-first recommendation was that “an anti-corruption policy, strategy and public awareness programme be designed along with a NATIONAL ANTI CORRUPTION UNIT consisting of specially vetted and selected staff be organized as a matter of urgency.”


To date there has been no public announcement that this recommendation has been accepted and for sure there has been no urgency to its implementation.

At the last sitting of the House of Representatives, Opposition Leader the Hon. John Briceño asked the Minister of National Security if the recommendations from the Crooks Report were being implemented. The response from the Minister was long on rhetoric but short on substance. Certinaly the question was not answered. When Mr. Briceño tried to push further on this issue of great importance to Belizeans, the Speaker of the House, Emil Arguelles, cut him off, a clear abuse of his power and a violation of the standing orders, which allows for follow up questions.

There is a growing frustration among Belizeans over the crime situation and the complete failure of the Minster of National Security and by extension the Barrow Administration to find any lasting solution to this serious problem.

Given all that is occurring in Belize and this administration, Mr. Barrow should remember that the next time the UDP face the electorate it will be their turn to account to Belizeans for their record on the fight against corruption, crime, violence and drugs, which remains at the top of the electorate’s agenda.

Re: Crooks, Crime & Cussedness

Whoooooos it is so very unfurtunate that this brilliant and analytical mind has beeen so tainted by his past party loyalty and to the honest reality that we are reaping what was sown by unchecked greed and decadence. It is so unfortunate that we are so polarized and trumatized bye the PUP's era that we cannot seem to have this discussion in a bipatisan, civil and academic manner. Might i suggest to Mr. Smith that you take a more introspective look at the contributing cause of your Administration to this social malignance seeing that this turmur is not at all in it's infancy.

Re: Crooks, Crime & Cussedness

If you want a better belize its got to be safe for people. North amercains will come build & buy and create imployment for belizens if they feel safe. If north amercans dont feel safe they will not come to belize.

Re: Crooks, Crime & Cussedness

The pup and udp are a criminal organization,and you belong to one of them before,the next election will be won by the pup law firm,and u once again will get in power.belize is where it is now because of criminals with a law degree like your self,all the suffering will end in belize when all the lawyers get killed by the belize revolution movement.kill all belizean lawyers!death to them,hang them high!!

Re: Crooks, Crime & Cussedness

Fuck no,no beating on childrens,if i was the father of a child in belize who get punish by a teacher,if its a female,i will rape the shit out of her,if its a male teacher,i would kick the shit out of him,

Re: Crooks, Crime & Cussedness

I believe a lot of what is happening today in Belize with reference to crime is directly and/or indirectly related to the absentee father. Forgive me, but I can think of days and nights when I used to sit around the table to have a meal, then ramp a little in the yard with my siblings and go to bed. The days when mom and dad were in the house together, if you get away from one, you cant get away from the other; but more than than that, the child felt loved and protected. They learned to show respect for another persons property and possessions. They did not have to battle for survival on the streets, or battle for something to eat. Thanks to my dad who was there, always there; he gave me the strength that I have to live an honest life.

One other important maybe even most important comment, my parents used to make sure we went to church every sunday morning, sometimes night times too. Our young ones today should be sent to Sunday school. Sunday mornings you pass so many of them on the streets playing and you just get more concerned about the future of our beautiful and blessed Belize. No, these are not the only 2 reasons, but I believe there are the fundamental ones that if carried out, will see a reduction in crime in Belize.

An appeal to our ladies, get to know the guy first before you sleep with him, you know, let him get to respect you and not just jack you up and leave you; then you end up one more fatherless child. Each child needs a lot of love and affection, but how can you fulfill that if you have five and you are a single parent, barely making it financially. The lot of cursing and rejection a child goes through his child to youth, no wonder, their hearts are so rock hard.

I pray that Belize starts to seek the face of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Hey, ther is still no where like Belize!