Current State of Emergency to run for 90 days; to be approved in National Assembly on Friday

By Aaron Humes: This evening’s Cabinet Brief announced that “Cabinet gave its approval for a resolution to be introduced in the National Assembly for the declaration of a State of Emergency in certain parts of Belize City and the Cayo District.”

While more than 90 persons have been detained since Tuesday, Prime Minister John Briceño today told reporters that it has been recommended to him by Minister of Home Affairs Kareem Musa and Commissioner of Police Chester Williams that this State of Emergency run for 90 days, which would take it through the September Celebrations, instead of the usual 30.

The P.M. said that this would allow for greater investigation by Police amid efforts to root out the gang element and restore a sense of order and security in the affected areas of Southside Belize City and the villages of Cotton Tree and Roaring Creek in the Cayo District.
While it may only be a few, it is a “sad state of affairs” that some are choosing to behave lawlessly, the Prime Minister told reporters, and law-abiding citizens have nothing to fear and will not be hampered in their comings and goings.

Police continue to actively search for more than 30 men alleged to be associated with gangs or criminal activity to detain them.

Meanwhile, complaints have been aired from aggrieved families disputing the characterization of their loved ones as members of a gang or criminals, as well as those whose homes were disrupted during the Police’s raids. One alleged senior gang member wrote to KREM Radio/XTV News claiming that authorities had dehumanized previous detainees in States of Emergency, offering only the basics for personal care, substandard food, and limited to no contact with family.

Advertise with the mоѕt vіѕіtеd nеwѕ ѕіtе іn Belize ~ We offer fully customizable and flexible digital marketing packages. Your content is delivered instantly to thousands of users in Belize and abroad! Contact us at mаrkеtіng@brеаkіngbеlіzеnеwѕ.соm or call us at 501-612-0315.

© 2024, BreakingBelizeNews.com. Content is copyrighted and requires written permission for reprinting in online or print media. Theft of content without permission/payment is punishable by law.