Tragedy in Belmopan

At about 12:55 Tuesday afternoon, February 22nd, 2011, young Sonia Diaz was knocked down by a Crystal truck driven by Albert Maskall. She was reportedly riding her bike back from lunch break to return to class at the Kuxlin Ha Government School in Belmopan. Albert was reversing the truck to meet a customer and claimed that he didn't see the girl. He was granted $8000 bail and will return to court on April 26th, 2011.
    This is a case that has to do with several issues including ethics. It is easy to blame a man that runs over a child and feel no sense of remorse for him. However, what if what he said is true? It is very much possible that he didn't see the child. All the facts increase the chances of not seeing the child. One, he was reversing. Two, he was driving a truck and not a small car. Thirdly, the girl was riding her bicycle making her several inches shorter than she actually is, assuming it was a bike suited for her. So, we should try to have a little sense of understanding for the man. However, according to Belize law, there is no jay walking and it is the driver's responsiblity to look out for any pedestrians. So even though the law states that this man must be tried, there are several ethical dilemmas at play.

Belizean Woman Victim of Human Trafficking

Recent news shows that  Belizean woman was a victim of human trafficking several years ago. Young Jamelia was sold by her mother to an American woman when she was only 11 years old. The other parent thought she was adopted and living a better life. She was forced into a life of servitude for at least 10 years until she was rescued about a year ago. She is now 23 years old and is seeking legal action against her captors.
By observing this situation we may begin to realize how damaged our country has become. We realize how not even children are safe within their households. As we all know, Belize has a very high crime rate. However, our country alone is not to blame. Our people are also being influenced by other countries. In this case, the U.S. Maybe the mother had no intention of selling her child; however, the American woman could have offered her a great sum of money and in the process tempt her to sell her daughter. We must find ways to negate these influences within our country and to solve our own domestic problems.

A Step Up In Criminal Law Enforcement

On Dec 16 of 2010, conditions under which the Supremen Court grants bail to accussed persons were stiffened by an amendment to the Crime Control and Crimnal Justice Act, which Governor General Sir Colville Young signed into law. The Court may grant bail under six conditions laid out by the amendment. The first states, "that the accused person provides on surety who possess little to landed property or a monetary value equivalent thereto." Secondly, "the accused person reports to the nearest police station on such day and at such time as is fixed by the Court. The next condition requires the accused to hand over all travel document to the Court. The fourth requires the accused to remain "within the premises during the horus fixed by the Court." The fifth condition forbids the accused person to contact any witness or other person in any way possible. Finally, the sixth allows, "such other conditions as the Court considers necessary."
     I believe this is a very good law and I hope that it is enforced properly. It obviously makes it harder for prisoners on remand to obtain bail. Even if they do attain bail, they must hand over all transportation documents, making it more difficult to flee the country. The article also mentioned that the time it takes to apply for bail has also increased. I personally agree with these and any laws that make the justice system a little tighter for criminals.

Secondhand smoke tied to high blood pressure in kids

New studies have found that young kids who live with a parent who smokes face an increased risk for developing high blood pressure while still children. These studies also indicate that the prevention of adult diseases like stroke or heart attack begins during childhood. Therefore removing any risk factors such as the one mentioned above will greatly aid in reducing the risk for heart disease later on and improve the long term health of children.
       This is a great notice for those of you who intend to have children or are currently living with a younger sibling or relative. You shouldn't smoke because it is not good for you and it affects younger children. Health care in Belize is already subpar; therefore it would be wise of all of us to reduce any avoidable risks such as this if it just slightly increases our chances of remaining healthy longer.

Did You Know...

According to the reporter, "If a poll were to be taken today, as many as 80 percent of Belizeans would be in favour on re-introducing capital punishment." This has been greatly influenced  by the rise in the death toll to a record 132 murders committed in 2010.
       The fact that 80 percent of all Belizeans would be ok with the hanging penalty is saying something. Obviously, our country is going down a very dangerous and slippery slope and Belizeans are worried. We all wish to see our country get back to normal and are willing to re-introduce the effectiveness of this law. As I am sure many of you will agree with, it seems that the only way to effectively reduce crime is by re-introducing hanging. Our justice system is a joke and criminals are feeling less and less worried about committing crimes. It certainly wouldn't hurt if we punish those who murder by death. I don't see how it could make matters worse. At this point, it could only help.