7 News Belize

Leader Of The Opposition Wants A Commission Of Inquiry
posted (January 9, 2013)
We've given a recap of yesterday's incident - and we're not the only ones wanting a second go at it. The Leader of the Oppositions did a "wheel and come again" remix today when he changed his tune on the GSU's alleged involvement.

Yesterday he said he didn't want to entertain any thoughts or conclusions of a state-sanctioned execution by the GSU.

But today he told the media he's been in contact with very many members of the public from all across the social and political spectrum, who believe that the GSU was involved.

Here's what he told about his recommendations to the Government as the Leader of the Opposition:

Hon. Francis Fonseca - Leader of the Opposition
"We thought that it was important to raise a few important issues, 3 important issue really. The first issue we wanted to raise, and the first recommendation we want to make is that because of the ongoing concern being expressed by people throughout Belize - and it's not only Belize City. Over the past 24 hours, I've had the opportunity to community leaders, religious leaders, leaders in the business community, and of course my fellow political leaders and representatives across the country. I think that there is a very strong concern about the perception and allegation being made regarding the role of the state - and in this case, the Gang Suppression Unit - in the killings which took play yesterday morning in Belize City. I think that it's something that we cannot ignore. I have said publicly, as I said yesterday, that it is not my view that there is any involvement by state in this matter. I do not have any evidence, and I do not have any reason to believe that the GSU was involved in this matter. But it is clear to me, as the leader of the Opposition, that it is important that this matter be settled once and for all. We cannot any clouds to be hanging over the heads of state authorities, in this case, the security forces. And I think that is very important, as has been recommended to me by so many people, that we call on the Government and the Prime Minister in particular, to appoint an independent Commission of Inquiry to look into this matter. Secondly, we wanted to make it absolutely clear - and I said this yesterday at my own press briefing - that we feel that it is a wrong-headed policy of the Government to engage in any arrangement with gang leaders, this policy that the Government embarked upon long ago, which has come to an end, in which they were in fact paying gang leaders to not engage in criminal activity. We knew from the very beginning that this was unsustainable. It's wrong-headed; it's counterproductive."

And you heard right, Fonseca is calling for an independent Commission of Inquiry to be put together to look into the George Street incident.

We asked him if doing that is simply pandering to public opinions; here's how he responded:

Daniel Ortiz
"Yesterday, in the press conference, you came across as staunchly saying, 'We want no one to believe that the GSU was involved.' Now in the release, it says that you want a Commission of Inquiry to be called. Isn't that pandering to public opinion?"

Hon. Francis Fonseca - Leader of the Opposition
"I think that it's not pandering to public opinion, but I think that sometimes, we have to respect public opinion. It is as I said earlier; it is still my position, and still my personal view that in fact, the state, the GSU, had nothing with these killings. But, it is clear to me that there is so much doubt in the society at large, so many questions that are unanswered, so many questions that are being asked, so much speculation that still remains - that it is important. It is important not only because these questions are being asked. It is important for the work of the GSU, and the work of the state to move forward with the trust and confidence of the Belizean people. So, I think that it is from that perspective that I approach it. If we're going to have the GSU continue to be effective, continue to carry out its work in these communities, the Belizean people have to be satisfied that in fact beyond a reasonable doubt, they were not in any way involved in this very horrendous crime which took place yesterday."

Fonseca says that whether or not the invitation comes from the Prime Minister, his party and he are determined to meet with the residents of George Street to assure them of the party's commitment.

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