| Streets Hot, Home Affairs Contemplating an SOE |
| Wed, April 2, 2025 |
|
| And these new flare-ups in gang activity have the political directorate and the police senior command weighing the value of another SOE. Today, the Minister told us they were close to calling it before the election - and it's still on the table:
Jules Vasquez
"Will you go for an SOE?"
Kareem Musa, Min. Home Affairs
"That was on the table and I can say here now that it still is on the table. We were monitoring it, closer to the election, where it was extremely heightened. And I think we came fairly close, Commissioner, to declaring a state of emergency."
"But it was never done. It was quelled for a bit, but again, now we see other areas are sparking. I know at the time of the election, we were specifically looking at six different gangs in Belize City that were going to be a part of the issue. We are still monitoring those six gangs."
"And then there are a couple others now as well. And so that is still on the table. I'm not saying that we're going to declare one this week or next. But it certainly is on the table. We are in discussions, not just with the commissioner and the police department, but also with the Leadership Intervention Unit to get their feedback, because it is that we would want to have a targeted SOE as opposed to a blanket net cast over everybody."
|
