Home Affairs Minister: “Police need more resources”

By Zoila Palma:  Minister of Home Affairs Julius Espat explained to 7News Belize that the Belize Police Department is in need of more resources and an improvement in infrastructure.

“The truth is no government has treated them fairly. Their infrastructure is inhumane. And the allowances that they get is insignificant compared to the risk that they take, the vehicles that they get, and one vehicle for so many people and they expect them to be patrolling. And somebody say, Oh, you give police vehicle, but they break it up.’ And so I went to the mechanic place and I asked the mechanic from MIDH to give me an idea. He said, Boss, but what do you expect? They don’t have a lot of vehicles, so the same vehicle they have, they use 24 hours without stop.’ So one set bring it in, drink a glass of water and fill it up with diesel and the next set roll it out, and it’s continuous. It never stops. So we do as laymen beat up the police, but we have to give them the attention I believe that they deserve,” Espat explained.

In addition, Minister Espat says that he continues to lobby with Prime Minister John Briceno and cabinet to provide basic resources that they need to let them operate in humane conditions.

“And if you send them out to deal with formidable forces, then you have to treat them better. And then once all of that is achieved, then you can demand discipline, you can demand professionalism, you can demand results. And if that doesn’t happen, then you move it again,” Espat added.

Espat says that the Ministry has a 2 month plan and that addressing these issues should be a priority.

“It is a two-month plan. But the plan needs lots of time, lots of work, lots of dedication, lots of resources and governments understanding that if we want to drive this economy more, if we want to have more investors come, if we want our local entrepreneurs to flourish, if we want the tourism industry to grow, we have to deal with the crime situation,” Espat said.

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