7 News Belize

A Dozen Amendments to The Criminal Code
posted (September 28, 2018)
And, the other heated debate focussed on the Crime Control and Criminal Justice Amendment bill. PUP National Deputy Cordel Hyde said there has been a dozen or so amendments to this law in 10 years of UDP rule, with no effect:...

Hon. Cordel Hyde- Lake I Area Rep, PUP
"I believe this must be the tenth or eleventh time we are here since 2008; bringing amendments to either the Crime Control or Criminal Justice Act or the Criminal Code. I think we first had amendments in 2008, twice in 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017 and this is the second time in the last five months we are having amendments and not much has changed really. Every time we come here you get the impression that well, okay, these are some stringent measures to be tough on crime and to be tough on the criminals and in fact it was, I believe, in April of this year that we passed some sweeping legislation that would see gang leaders and gang members get up to 40 years in prison if they are convicted of being leaders of gangs and members of gangs or participate in criminal activity in gangs. Every year, in and out we make these amendments but year in, year out the level of crime increases in this country. I think that instead of these kinds of amendments what we really should bring to this house is legislation to attack the root causes of crime. In fact, what I would really like to see is legislation declaring a war on poverty. If we are not going to come to this house and quadruple the budget for Boost or quadruple the budget for the pantry program and ensure that every single child in the South Side gets to go to high school and that their fees are paid and that they do not go to school hungry; these are really just cosmetic changes, madam speaker. I know it is kind of cliché to say we attack the root causes of crime but we have to. Unless poverty goes down, crime will continue to go up, breda; real talk."

Hon. Patrick Faber- Acting Prime Minister
"This government has launched the greatest attack against poverty than any government before. And, you know, madam speaker, he was once minister of education. I believe he was once minister of housing too. I challenge him to show us one program, in education especially that he tried to put into effect to really alleviate and to help the poor people, a part from the 5 year olds, to really put in place policies to help the poor people of this nation."

Hon. John Saldivar- Belmopan Rep, UDP/Minister of National Security
"The reason behind this bill was simply to ensure that gang members who commit offences under the various criminal justice and gang offences within our current laws that they be restricted from obtaining bail immediately and that they would have to go through the same sorts of requirements as those who, for instance, are caught with firearms or ammunitions, that there be a ten day waiting period before which they can apply for bail and they must apply for bail to the Supreme Court. That is all this bill is seeking to do. In the meantime, since we have introduced those major bills in April, we have found a gang task force that has been working diligently putting together the case files for many or most of these gang members, whom we believe will have a strong case against them in terms of offences that they have committed under the various gang laws of this country. That task force is now ready to begin prosecution of these gang members on these various offences."

Home | Archives | Downloads/Podcasts | Advertise | Contact Us

7 News Belize