We've reported on all kinds of summer camps - but today the Eastern Division police launched one that offers an experience unlike any other. They're taking city kids out of their usual environment to other parts of the country. IT's a little acknowledged fact, but inner city children are often trapped in their neighborhoods because the adults in their lives can only move in certain areas due to turf wars. Today Chester Williams explained the vision for this program:..
ACP Chester Williams - O. C. Eastern South
"We believe that there are a number of young people in Belize City who have not had the joy of leaving Belize City and see how the different parts of the country look. Those children are those who would normally be under privileged and are at risk. This program is basically geared as a form of diversion for them to be able to let them see and appreciate what Belize is all about."
Insp. Elroy Carcamo, Comm. Policing, Eastern Division
"The first one is the lifeline where they will be taken to 2 hotspots tomorrow morning within the Southside Belize City and from there they will explain to them what happens when you're out there becoming criminals and being involved in violent actives and then taken to the police station, introduced to the processing system and to the cell block. from there they will be going to the Magistrate Court where they will see the process you go through when you are being taken from the police station to the court and more or less around the afternoon or around the noon time they will be taken to KOLBE Foundation so that they understand what happens when you are convicted or when you are placed on remand. After that we go to the cemetery, because there's only certain things that happen when you're involved in criminal actives, you either get locked up, in cemetery, or hospital paralyzed. so we want them to understand these things. The other 3 days are more geared towards getting to know the country of Belize so they will be touring the northern part, the southern part and the western part of the country. They will be taken to archeological sites and also historical sites within the country to have a better appreciation within the country and to understand what is happening."
Cassian Usher, participant
"I think it's a good opportunity because we get to go around Belize and see all the places and historical sites."
Reporter
"Have you been to any of these locations that they intend to take you to?"
Cassian Usher, participant
"No."
ACP Chester Williams - O. C. Eastern South
"And it is also used as a form of keeping them occupied during the summer. We know that during summer time there's no school, these kids are normally out on the streets idling, doing nothing and the gang members use that opportunity to be able to recruit them into their gangs. This is a way for us to be able to take these young children under our care, keeping them away from the different gang elements while doing educational things with them."
The programme will take in 100 kids, 50 each week.
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