Activists ask for public to exercise rights and have law revised or struck out

Russell Roberts

The press conference concluded with a public plea to citizens to exercise their rights and show civic pride. The group is asking everyone affected to make complaints to their area representatives and elected ministers in an effort to effect change.

Russell Roberts, Activist

“I think this will be taken out to the full length where it needs to be go. I think it needs to go to the National Assembly. I will be asking Belizeans to go to their area representatives to lodge their complaints. I mean some of the victims and people who could possibly be victims can go to their area representatives, ask their assistance, make a petition and put it forward to the House—either in the opposition and the ruling government areas so that we could take it further to the government to see what we can do about it. We need to do something about it before it go too late.”

Delroy Herrera, Activist

Delroy Herrera

“I think when people mi di sign on to the law,  think people neva mi di get the full gist of the law because the law, actually when they make any type of law, it has loopholes and they noh explain the loopholes to we as Belizean people. The law is written in words and sentences weh only lawyers can understand. So we sign because we di give support fi wi party. But then when the same law come back and bite you, then dah when yo understand weh yo sign on to. Man yo have a lotta people out there right now weh woulda want join wah union. Because they don’t have a backative, they stand alone out there. They woulda want join wah union. Man make we go and unionize all fi we people on the street—move from Corozal right through to P.G.—and then show this government and any other government that democracy means the mass of the people. When we mobilize, we mobile the people. And we as N.G.O.s and unions and so on educate the people weh di sign on pan laws and noh understand the law and the repercussions of the law.”

COLA, earlier this week, came out in support of revamping the gun laws.