And back to yesterday's stabbing - as we mentioned, Lamar Mortis has been released from the hospital after he was stabbed in the left side of his chest.
The accused, a 17 year old fourth form student has not been charged as police continue to investigate a complex case that had been building for some time because of bullying.
A mediation session was held with many of the key players this afternoon at the Raccoon Street Police station.
The session featured police officers from community policing, a representative from the education department, a teacher from the high school as well as five students allegedly involved in the bullying. It did not include the accused, but his mother was there.
As we understand it, they weren't there to talk about the stabbing but to find a solution to the wider rivalry. A follow up meeting will be held on Monday at Wesley High.
The two school stabbings in as many days is a subject of deep concern for all involved, not least the ministry of education.
But yesterday the Education minister said that as goes the society, so goes the school:..
Hon. Patrick Faber, Minister of Education and Youth
"It is unfortunate and I am not happy to hear such reports at all, but you know what happens in our schools cannot be any different from what is happening out in the society. We quite often expect different things to be happening, and it is a signal to the society that we need to really put our shoulders to weight because as I have always said, and others in the government have always said. It is not only the responsibility of the government to curve crime. It is everybody's business to make sure that these things don't happen and if we don't do something about this situation that is clearly eating away at the fabric of our society, then these things are going to continue to happen, so what happened in that school is just a reflection of what happens in our society every day. Especially on the Southside of Belize City as all we know."
The ministry of education today sent out a lengthy press release saying that the Ministry of Education and Youth is satisfied that the school is taking appropriate steps to address the issue of violence in school. It adds that School violence is a worldwide phenomenon and there is no programme that will guarantee a zero violence environment in any school.
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