Last week you heard Assistant Commissioner of Police Chester Williams talk about his hurry-come-up South-side Child Curfew. In a society often gripped by
panic, Williams had popular support, but child rights advocates weren't so sure.
Reliable information reaching our news room is that several key stake holders in the social services sector are not on-board with the program – because
it victimizes children for the failings of their parents, and flies in the face of the convention on the rights of the child. But according to
Williams, he has not heard any of this negative feedback.
ACP Chester Williams - OC, Eastern Division South
"I have not heard any negative blow back from UNICEF or the Human Services Department and as it related to that, I will say no more, other than to say
that after the Easter break, we will be seeing how best we can get together with all the social partners to see how we go with this new initiative and
that is all I will say at this time."
Emanuel Pech
"What has been the feedback that you have been getting?"
ACP Chester Williams - OC, Eastern Division South
"I am sure that you a Facebook page and you can go on Facebook and see what is the feedback from the members of the public."
So we did check his Facebook, and while most are supportive of the proposed initiative, there are those, like one person who thinks quite the contrary.
The person posts, quote, "No detention is without its ramifications to the mental health of a human being." And indeed even the UN agrees. The
Convention on the Rights of Children, which Belize is a signatory to, reads as follows, "
No child shall be deprived of his or her liberty unlawfully or arbitrarily. The arrest, detention or imprisonment of a child shall be in conformity
with the law and shall be used only as a measure of last resort and for the shortest appropriate period of time;"
But then here is where we enter a legal battle. Commander Williams puts it like this: they are not detaining but rather placing children in emergency
protection. Section 116 subsection 1 under the Families and Children act, gives provision to place children under emergency protection for a period of
no more than 48 hours, if the child is believed to be suffering or is likely to suffer significant harm. Stakeholders will meet sometime next week to
iron out these differences.
Email
Print