As we reported at the top of the newscast - today the KHMH lost one of its Doctors to murder.
Indeed, it is a sign that the crime epidemic is reaching all sectors of society - now entering even the professional ranks.
But while noting that - we note also that Dr. Ivan Garcia was not killed as a result of the usual gunplay that causes most of Belize's murders: he was strangled to death, apparently by someone who did not use forced entry to get into his home.
Nonetheless, his professional colleagues provided a dignified professional overview of his career and an emotional statement on the circumstance of Garcia's death.
Here are some excerpts:..
Dr. Adrian Coye
"In summary this morning we were informed of the very tragic and untimely passing of our colleague, he is Dr. Ivan Garcia Gomez. He has been working for this hospital in the accident and emergency unit for the past 9 years and has always been an excellent physician and colleague, someone to rely on. We are truly saddened by his loss. He is originally from Guatemala, he has a family. We have benefitted and shared with his wealth of experience, the Belizean population has benefitted from the gift of his talents and we are truly sorry for his untimely passing. Our sympathies to his family. We have no expectation of this, in our eyes he is an absolute professional and very caring individual and very dependable. He has really done a great service in our time. We have no problems foresee. I cannot say beyond that."
Dr. Martha Habet
"I personally didn't meet his family, only by phone. But I knew him because we work together at the accident and emergency. We were friends, we celebrated his birthdays and my birthdays and the other doctors birthdays. We would always get together, he was a very friendly person that's why everybody is in shock in this hospital because the nurses, doctors and other members of staff knows him as being very friendly and he had no kind of problems. As far as we know he was a very easy going person. We didn't know him as having problems with anybody."
Dr. Alaine Gonzalez
"We have worked in the emergency for the past 5-6 years and yes I did meet his family because when I first started to work I traveled back to Guatemala and I met his family when we went couple of times together. It's sad that this happened to one of our own that works here with us in the emergency. He is here saving lives and for his life to be taken like that is very sad."
Dr. Ruby Briceno
"Our hearts are filled with sorrow for the loss of a man who without being a born Belizean provided for and cared for Belizean people without seeing their race or cultural background. Dr. Garcia Gomez dedicated 9 years of his life and profession to save lives at the accident and emergency unit of the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. What an ionate is that his life was taken away in the lost undignified of manners as it was robbed from him this early Monday morning of June 18th. We want to revendicate his life and his valuable actions, his dignity by irrevocably repudiating this low act. We his fellow colleagues, friends and family do not ask for justice but demand to it."
"This inability to control a handful of rampant unoccupied and heartless individuals is subject of laughter, shame; yes it is indeed shameful that we prefer to live our lives like this and to put a stand to this havoc. How many more lives do we need to lose? Are you
waiting for it to be us or one of family members, our children, brothers, sisters, neighbors or friends? Belize is this how we want to live?"
Funeral arrangements will be decided after his family comes from Guatemala.
We must note that he is at least the tenth male to have been found murdered in his home in a nude or partially nude state in the past 15 years in the Belize, Orange Walk, Corozal and Cayo districts. Most of the other killings have been stabbings.
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