Dear Editor,
I understand and sympathize with Compol Chester Williams’ frustration over the spate of crimes in our country, especially in Belize City, which now seems to be spreading to the rural areas like a virus.
He is trying his best, but nothing seems to stop this madness.
We must first understand the times. For the youth of today, killing a person is like a badge of honor, not like in the past when it was a shameful thing to be a murderer. If you took someone’s life intentionally, you expected to be hanged.
Not anymore; this deterrent no longer exists. You can’t even spend the rest of your life in prison, no matter how heinous the crime. Our law’s sympathies lie with the criminal, not with the victims and their families.
We hear and read about court cases where the accused are guilty as hell, but get off on some technicality, and are set free to commit more atrocities, since they are practically untouchable due to the way our laws are interpreted.
In a Sylvester Stallone movie, I can’t remember which one, the bad guy asks him if he’s such a good cop, how come there are so many criminals walking the streets. His answer: “Ask the judges and magistrates, we keep locking them up and they keep releasing them”, or something to that effect.
Humans are social animals and need to be with others; belonging to a group of people is natural. There are good groups and there are bad groups. Groups become gangs; when they start doing unlawful acts, they then become criminal gangs. Usually, there is a leader who heads or organizes these gangs.
If we are to combat the gang problem, then we must ensure that our youth follow good leaders. Government must encourage youth groups. The cadet corps organized by police officers is a good start; just make sure that the organizer is an exemplary person because people are wary of trusting their children to anyone nowadays. Too many abusers.
Back in the old days, political parties, schools, organizations, etc. had their youth groups. Barely see any now. The Orange Walk basketball team named “Youths” was from a Catholic youth group back in the late sixties.
Governments should be the pillars of society, encouraging the good and discouraging the bad by applying and amending laws. If the criminals are roaming free, it is the government which must see that the laws are suitable to put them where they are harmless.
If we no longer wish to apply capital punishment, then we have to make it easier for the courts to apply a sentence where murderers are kept off the streets for a very long time.
I wonder who came up with the idea that all persons can be rehabilitated; they surely haven’t read about people like Ted Bundy, John Wayne Gacy, and the Columbine Massacre, etc. etc.
Where there is a will, there is a way. With GOB’s and the Good Lord’s help, we will overcome.
It is general knowledge that the upper echelons of the governing party do not read the Amandala because it is too critical of them, so they ignore all the good ideas that are printed in this, the “People’s Forum.” What a calamity.
Regards,
Romel Cuello