Earlier on in this segment we told you that police had made no arrests for the murder of Aubrey Lopez but two men are still detained. Well, the Belize Grassroots Youth Empowerment Association out of Belmopan isn't waiting on police action to make their demands. The group led by Nigel Petillo comprises many contemporaries of Aubrey Lopez and this morning they held a march on Independence Hill in Belmopan to let their displeasure with the status quo be known. Nigel Petillo told us more.
Nigel Petillo, Belize Grassroots Youth Empowerment Association
"What we did, 8:00 o'clock this morning we all met at the steps. 8:00 o'clock! Meaning that the first thing we did before we started our day was to address the matters that are affecting this community. Teachers took the time out before they went on their well planned day which they well deserved - and decided that they were going to stand in solidarity with the movement. Mayor Lopez was there, his wife, it was well attended. A better message couldn't have been sent this morning. In front of the steps of the National Assembly - we walked around that building three times singing songs of freedom. I mean, the crime issue that is escalating, Jules; it is out of hand now. We are asking the direct leaders who are responsible to deal with the crime issues that we are facing. That if you cannot do the job that you are paid to do, then ask for help or either step aside and make way for those with more answers and more solutions to the problems that we are facing today."
"I am calling on the Chinese community; I am calling on the Teachers Union; I am calling on the COLA movement, brother Moses Sulph; I am calling on Mrs. Schackron and the movement; I am calling on all unions and organizations. Let's stand together and send this one direct message to the government that you need to clean up the act, the streets is crippling our community."
"What I am saying basically Jules is that we are not done here, brother! That is not the last of us. A next violence you hear about we will be there to deal with it personally!"
"Because it is really affecting Belmopan soil, you know? We are really feeling, we have lost a son of Belmopan, a product of Belmopan; we have lost an icon that Belmopan we would have boasted many a time. We would say, 'here then, this is Aubrey Lopez!' He was someone who we could have boast about."
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