Yesterday, Minister Of Home Affairs Wilfred Elrington addressed the University Of Belize at a security forum, named "Exploring Security Threats at Home and Abroad". Now, you can almost always count on Elrington for controversial remarks. And yesterday at the UB Jaguar Auditorium in Belmopan, he did not disappoint. Echoing his brother Hubert from, like, 20 years ago when he was in office, Wilfred Elrington said domestic crime is not really a big problem:
Hon. Wilfred Elrington, Minister of Home Affairs
"The crime - criminality. Really and truly that's not my preoccupation at all. When I compare the situation in Belize with what exists in El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, places like Iraq and Syria and in other countries, Belize is a very safe country in terms of criminal activity. The numbers of criminals are few and people who are normally impacted by them are normally are their own colleagues and friends who they prey upon and kill in a senseless way. I don't see that as a big problem."
We note that this year's murder count, presently at 97, is on a pace to very nearly match last year's total of 138 murders - which was the second highest total ever.
But while the police minister sees violent crime as not really that big a problem, what does bother him is corruption - in places high and low, except for cabinet.
Hon. Wilfred Elrington, Minister of Home Affairs
"The crime and criminality that bothers me more is corruption. Corruption that we find in government offices, Customs, Immigration, Lands Department - those are the things that concerns me much more than the few who are on the streets engaging in gangs and selling drugs and the like."
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