I am originally from Orillia Ontario, Betty Philips earned degrees at the Univer

sity of Toronto and University of Waterloo. She currently lives in Vancouver, Br

itish Columbia.
Child sex tourism “an emerging trend in Belize – Belize News … Jun 18, 2010 … “
Child sex tourism has been identified as an emerging trend in Belize,” it adds.
The report calls out the Government of Belize…www.amandala.com.bz/index.php?id=9
971 -
Travel Advice for Belize – Australian Department of Foreign …Jul 23, 2010 … We a
dvise you to exercise a high degree of caution in Belize because of …. terrorism
and child sex tourism, apply to Australians overseas. … www.smartraveller.gov.a
u/zw-cgi/view/Advice/belize
I’ve been to Belize many times and from first-hand experience I can tell Canadia
ns it is not safe to travel there. Organization for Responsible Tourism is aski
ng Canadians to boycott Belize tourism. I’m providing Canadians with five good r
easons not to travel to Belize. There’s one overarching message. It’s dangerou
s for residents and tourist alike.
Number one. According to The Economist magazine, Belize is the murder capital of
the world. Relative to its size and population, it outranks all nations. Late
st statistics show Belize with 97 murders for a population of 320,000. To put t
hat into perspective, Metro Toronto has 41 murders for the same period, but for
a population of 2.4 million people.
Most of the Belize homicides were gun related. http://www.channel5belize.com/ar
chive_detail_story.php?story_id=25234
Number two. The Belize government says the country is in crisis due to its crime
rate and that its citizens do not feel safe in their communities. The governmen
t also expressed lack of confidence in its own police department, citing corrupt
ion and lack of accountability. The following is from a recent Belize Cabinet
release. “The Government of Belize recognizes the crisis of crime, violence and
social degradation in which we find ourselves. These social ills are of priority
concern to our citizens, whose right to live in a secure environment is being e
roded daily.” Note: this means tourists are always looking over the shoulders.
Hard to take in the scenery that way. http://www.belize.gov.bz/ct.asp?xItem=2
125&ctNode=633&mp=27
Gangs of Belize
Number three. The Canadian government advises travelers to exercise a high degre
e of caution in Belize. US Government offers similar advice and more details of
why Belize is a very bad destination for tourists. “Mugging is a risk to travel
lers especially in Belize City. Although the majority of reported incidents are
in Belize City, crime occurs in all districts including tourist spots such as S
an Pedro, Caye Caulker and Placencia. Muggings can occur at any time: day or n
ight. Avoid dark alleys, keep valuables out of sight, and do not wear jewellery
. Where possible you should travel in groups. You should use a qualified guide
for trips off the beaten track. In some areas of Belize City there has recentl
y been an increased risk of gang related violence. We advise visitors to avoid
the areas around George Street and Kraal Road and to exercise caution whilst wal
king in the city. A lack of resources and training impedes the ability of the polic
e to investigate crimes effectively and to apprehend serious offenders. As a re
sult, many crimes remain unresolved. Nevertheless, victims of crime should repo
rt immediately to the police all incidents of assault, robbery, theft or other c
rimes.”
Number four. Belize’s culture of corruption makes it unattractive to tourists.
Drug-related crime in particular is spilling over into many communities, includi
ng resort areas. This is an assessment from the American Bar Association. Beli
ze “is continuously plagued by violence, crime and corruption … Violent crime, m
oney laundering and drug trafficking continue unabated in part due to insufficie
nt countermeasures and government corruption. The scourge of drugs and transnati
onal crime has heavily contributed to the rising crime rate and social decline i
n Belize.” http://www.abanet.org/rol/latin_america/belize.html
Number five: Belizeans do not trust their government to protect them. Almost 1
5 percent of the San Pedro Ambergris Caye population turned out this spring to p
rotest the crime rate and lack of safety in this resort town. Residents’ loss o
f their sense of security fueled the event. With the increasing numbers of home
invasions, burglaries and armed hold ups, many no longer feel safe and secure in
their homes and businesses. Robberies and car jackings, often injuring the vict
ims, also heighten their insecurity. http://www.sanpedrodaily.com/5-8-10.html B
elizeans for Justice recently called for the resignation of the Belize Police Co
mmissioner. Belizeans for Justice members have since continued to fear for thei
r lives. http://www.reporter.bz/index.php?mod=article&cat=Social&article=4479
The law partner of Prime Minister Dean Barrow shot.
The law partner of Prime Minister Dean Barrow was shot on Monday night as he lef
t his law firm on Albert Street. The news of the shooting spread like wild fire
across the city because it involved Rodwell Williams whose law firm was shot at
as recent as April fifteenth. Indications are that the shooting was not trigger
ed by robbery, but instead a clear execution attempt on Williams. Williams was
rushed to the Belize Healthcare Partners where throughout the night and this mor
ning doctors worked to save his life.