In our interview with Deputy Commissioner Williams - you surely heard that he's now referring to the different eastern parts of the city as regions now. For decades, the two land blocks that make up Belize City have simply been referred to as the Northside and the Southside.
But, now, the police have re-named them: Eastern Division South, which covers the Southside of the city, is now known as Eastern Division Region 1. Eastern Division North, which covers the Northside of the city, is now known as Eastern Division Region 2. The Rural Eastern Division is now called Eastern Division Region 3.
The rebranding effort is the brain child of the new Eastern Division South Commander Howell Gillett, who said that he suggested the name change, and his police and ministry bosses endorsed it. It's police department's attempt to try to reduce the stigma associated with persons living in the crime hotspots of the Belize City Southside. That's all fine and good, but, really, what's in a name? It's not like re-naming the southside will make it instantly crime, poverty, or stigma free.
Today, we challenged the Deputy Commissioner on the rebranding:
DCP Chester Williams, Commander of Operations
"From a police stand point we know that it will not have the effect that we really want because it will take the public to remove that stigma from their head, referring to north side and south side. We believe that we can lead the way into the change by not referring to this part of the city as south side and the other part as north side. We have now renamed them and have eastern division region. One, which was formerly known as ED South and Eastern Region Division 2 formerly known as ED North. Then Eastern Region Division 3 formerly known as ED Rural. So we are trying to lead the way where we can begin to see that change in society where persons from south side are viewed differently than those from north side. We are hoping that with us making the first step in that respect, we'll begin to see the other persons begin to follow and stop referring to north side and south side. We are hoping that by us taking that lead, we'll begin to see other entities follow in stop referring to north side and south, because the truth is that whether you say south side or you are form there, everyone begins to look at you differently and that is what we want to change."
Senior Superintendent Howell Gillett commented on the change via text saying, quote, "Years ago, Orange walk was called Rambo Town, and nobody wanted to go there. Some years later, it was referred to as "Suga City" and it made a positive difference." Ok then.
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