Kareem Musa Responds to Repeated Call for Resignation

In response to the opposition’s repeated call for his resignation, Kareem Musa, the Minister of Home Affairs and New Growth Industries, says Belizeans have been able to see the results of the work his ministry has undertaken in fighting crime. Minister Musa also responded to calls for a state of emergency in areas where violent crimes are concentrated. He did not completely dismiss the idea, but argued against state of emergencies being the solution.

Kareem Musa

Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs and New Growth Industries

“In relation to the request once again for my resignation, I think Belizeans are not in any way fooled by the noise that is being made. They realize that the previous government had thirteen years of an opportunity to fix crime in this country, and you can see from just the statistics over the last year and a half, even in COVID where financially and economically took a hit. Even then, crime was down compared to the U.D.P. years. So, people are not stupid. They understand that crime is a very complex issue. They understand that the programs and the initiatives that we are putting in place is not an overnight fix. I know that the previous administration, or the representatives now, the ones that are making the noise, are calling for a state of emergency. I am saying to them that is only a band aid temporary fix. You are creating monsters, yes they are going behind bars, but they come out and they continue to commit crime. I am not in any way saying we are not going to have another state of emergency, because there comes a time when too many people are being killed. We have to realize that, and the retaliations are just ongoing, we have to say there needs to be a pause, a time out because it is getting really out of hand. I am not saying that is not an option. I am saying that is not a remedy to crime. And, that is what the United Democratic Party feels.”