Last week, there were two murders in San Pedro town within four days. So far, no arrests have been made, and there are whispers out of Belize's tourism capital, that there could be tourist cancellations because of the spike in crime. The last one - on Sunday - was particularly prominent - it happened right in the downtown area. Today, the area representative told us the killings are drug related:...
Reporter
"There have been quite a few murders in San Pedro over the past weeks. Do you think this will affect the tourism there?"
Manuel Heredia Jr., Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation
"Well it could, but thank God that up until now it hasn't but yes, that had been brought to cabinet already. They are taking serious measures as to make sure that we can combat those illegal guns that are on the street, but all of this is drug related. There is no doubt about that."
Dwayne Moody, reporter
"Sir some would argue that you know it would just be that they are supplying the weed. The marijuana for those persons who can have less than 10 grams of weed for that amended law the misuse of drugs act. That is how they supply these persons that are craving the drugs. How do you respond to that the government is moving to decriminalize that 10 grams?"
Manuel Heredia
"You know this has been in the pipe line for many years looking and in consultation. I think you heard Doug Singh yesterday when he was the minister of police having a confrontation with different organizations and NGO and the churches and what not. We believe that there are many of these cases that you will find people. That they do it for not really a habit but because they want to concentrate better or sometimes they say because of sickness but I believe that in as they mentioned alcohol is something that does a lot of damage. Why should we be tattling the little man and not really the bigger man?"
"No matter what there has been, they have dispatched a team to San Pedro. A very high ranked team to look at the situation. They are already making sure we can clean the island as much as possible and they are increasing the number of police officers that will be based in San Pedro."
Reporter
"Sir for the record do you support this move by your administration to decriminalize that 10 grams of marijuana?"
Manuel Heredia
"Yes I definitely. It was a... If I am not mistaken it was a unanimous decision taken."
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