Recently, under the leadership of Senior Superintendent Howell Gillett, Police from Eastern Division Region 1 have been attempting some interesting community outreach initiatives, and today, they launched another.
25 Southside Belize City residents are currently attending a training to become bartenders. It's based on the premise that gainful employment has a direct impact on the root causes of crime.
So, The Eastern Division Region 1 teamed up with Premium Wines and Spirits, Travelers Liquors, and the Sit and Sip bar to teach this group about how to become professional bartenders - a job much in demand in the tourism sector.
7News stopped by to find out more about the initiative, and here's what the Commanding Officer had to say about it:
Sr. Supt. Howell Gillett - OC, ED Region 1
"For many years we've been hearing the cry that unemployment is a cause for crime, and that is so in some aspects of the crime that are being committed. And we thought it necessary to do something to help our young people, especially those living in Region 1, formerly Southside of Belize. If we are serious about fighting crime, then we must not only address the symptoms of crime, but we must address the root causes of crime. And I believe helping young people to become mixologists, or bartenders, is a way to help our young people. We estimate that it's around 25 young persons who are here at the moment, but we expect it also to increase, and we've been doing an informal survey. It seems that we'll be impacting up to 4 times that amount directly or indirectly, as a result of what we're doing. So, after this week, these young people will be certified as bartenders. And as a matter of fact, there are some of the big hotels already calling to provide employment to them. I didn't know that this type of a skill is in short supply, and we're so happy to do it. Because of the number of requests that are coming in, we will try to do another one very shortly."
Fernando Oliva - Marketing & Sales, Traveler's Liquors
"Travellers Liquors, we always give back to our community in any way, shape or form, to the best of our abilities. When Mr. Howell Gillett came to us, we decided that it was a good idea to help the unemployed guys to better themselves. And instilling the skills that we have to them will give them a wider opportunity 
and skills to make money and supply their families. For the full week, we'll be giving them the basics, bar keep, bartending skills, the theory part, getting to know the different tools to use behind a bar, the proper way to use them, the proper names, the proper way to use the spirits properly, to mix them properly. And also in line with that, we going to instill some moral values to them, life skills, how to dress, how to present themselves to the market that they're about to enter."
Karl Bodden - Bartending Trainee
"What I expect to take home is how to mix different cocktails, how mix different local drinks, mixed drinks, and how to manage a bar, and how to run it."
Reporter
"This is something that you wanted to do, become a bartender?"
Karl Bodden
"Well, I've been doing bartending for quite a while, and that's what I think I wanna do later on in the future so."
Reporter
"So, you've already had the exposure of working as a bartender, it's just that you haven't been certified, correct?"
Karl Bodden
"Correct, I think I've been bartending for almost 4 years. I have bartended in different areas, Caye Caulker, the International Airport, Midtown, so, I've been around a lot."
Reporter
"What are you hoping that the participants will take away from your presentation."
Johan Gillett - trainer
"That they will go from, and in spare time, or otherwise, analyze what has been put forward them, and see how best they can take it, and tailor it to their needs and causes."
The training concludes on Friday, and as you heard, the participants will become certified bartenders.
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