Sunday, August 22, 2010
The Belize Times
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Shelly’s Blood on Barrow’s Hands…
SUNDAY AUGUST 22, 2010
Issue No. 4707
A song crafted by talented artists as the latest crime-fighting initiative of Prime Minister Dean Barrow’s Operation Restore Belize will not bring 35 year old Shelly Sanchez back to life. Nor will the lively tune comfort her 12 year old daughter, her family and friends left behind to grieve. ‘I am Belize’ did not matter to the gunman who sprayed Shelly with bullets as she walked home, and it did nothing for the innocent woman who lay bleeding in the street, shot to the right elbow, right side of the body and right lower back. It is likely that Shelly Sanchez was murdered because she was a witness in an upcoming murder trial, and family members confirmed that she had been receiving threats in connection with that trial. They say that Sanchez went to report the threats to the Police and they stated that they could do nothing to help her. And as tragic as the case of this murdered mother may be, she is not the first to have been murdered to prevent testimony in a case, nor will she likely be the last. For many months, there have been reports of intimidation of witnesses, attacks and death threats to themselves and their families, attacks. The Police are surely cognizant
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of this very serious problem which does much to undermine the proper administration of justice, but they have done nothing to address it, and now a mother lies dead because of their inaction and because of the inaction and negligence of a lame duck government. There are credible reports that the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions is reporting a conviction rate somewhere in the region of five to seven per cent. One of the reasons for this is the fact that key witnesses are recanting their statements or just not showing up in Court. If criminals are confident that they can perpetrate the most heinous of acts in broad daylight and still walk free, things are going to get worse, much worse. This is not rocket science, Mr. Barrow. It is clear what must be done. The Office of the DPP should be strengthened, should not be allowed to be manipulated politically or otherwise and should be staffed with a team of competent prosecutors who should been given all the tools necessary to secure conviction of criminals. There must be efficient and effective collaboration between (Continued on pg. 3)
Asians Close Shops in protest of young student's senseless murder
The Asian community across Belize City today closed their doors for business as they mourn the senseless murder of Helen Yu, 1 4 , t h e s t u d e n t f r o m E d wa r d P Yorke High was was shot dead last Thursday inside her family’s store on Iguana Street Extension in the C o l l e t a r e a . Yu wa s l a i d t o r e s t
today following a heart-wrenching ser vice attended by her wounded father, Ziren, 41, who was also shot in the robbery, supported by friends from the wider Asian community resident in the beleaguered city. The closure of the businesses, according to Peter Quan, Vice Chair of the Belize Chinese Association,
was also to send a blistering message to law enforcement authorities and to the criminal element that the Asian community has g otten enough of the rampant and undeter red attacks ag ainst them. Coupled with the closure, the Belize Chinese Association
is also offering a reward of between $5,000 and $10,000 for infor mation that proves successful in the apprehension, arrest and conviction of the thieves who killed Yu and injured her father. Infor mation can be forwarded through the CrimeStopper hotline or to any Police Station.
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