No one can deny that Operation Jaguar which got off the ground on Monday May 17th was successful in deterring crime for almost 5 weeks. That is a lot considering that in the past not a single week went by without serious crimes including murders were reported in Belize City.
Jaguar’s trend of crime prevention, however, came to an abrupt and almost unexpected end on the weekend starting on June 18th. This weekend marked probably one of the most deadly and violent ones in Belize City; two very young women, one 18 and the other 19 were killed. The life of one of them was suddenly taken as she was in front of her Belize City home. Then another was killed after being abducted from her home and killed thereafter taken to an area near mile 6 on the Western Highway and simply thrown out as if she mattered not. A cyclist’s life was also taken at the hands of someone believed to be no older than 17 years. This is added to the fact that at least four other persons were injured as a result of gun violence.
It was a violent weekend indeed and what made it more pronounced is the fact that the criminal acts took place while operation Jaguar is still in effect. The fact that criminals are able to commit such heinous acts, simply points to the fact that it does not matter how much law enforcement and personnel are put on the ground and into action, the criminals will always find a way to commit their misdeeds. It also points to the fact that what Belize City and the country for that matter needs is an about turn in mindsets.
We need to begin to take personal responsibility for our actions if ever the crime situation is to be put under control. The government can only do so much and is in fact attempting all it possibly could. The Restore Belize Program is testament to that. The government through the program will be addressing key areas to deal with the crime situation. However the government cannot do it by itself. The general public must take on its share of responsibility.
Parents need to realize that when we fail our children, those very children turn out to be the future criminals. It is for that reason that it does not matter how many operations like Jaguar are put into effect, if we are unable to control our children that we are also unable to control crime. But more than just being good parents, the citizenry must take ownership of the lawless society that we have become. How many of us really considers that crime and downright lawlessness begins with very small actions that we are guilty of committing on a daily basis? We can park our vehicles in no-parking areas without regard for anyone or any law enforcement agency. We can through that plastic bag or Styrofoam container wherever we consume the product that was contained within and could care less the effect that it has. We can stand at the corner grocery store and consume alcoholic beverages without considering the kind of example that we are showing our young people and children who frequent those stores.
Indeed we need to take responsibility for our actions and realize that every little bit of disorder that we are responsible for contributes to the greater criminality of our society. It is time for us as Belizeans to own up to our failures and do the best that we can to address them in a meaningful way. Until such a time comes, we will continue to have hundreds upon hundreds of operations like Jaguar and the criminal elements will continue to be able to find their targets and execute them with deadly precision such as was the case this past weekend.Â
