River Valley showdown: Police take firmer hand after violence spreads to Lords’ Bank, Belize City

Published by BBNTEAM at October 29, 2024

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Posted: Tuesday, October 29, 2024. 9:46 am CST.

By Aaron Humes: Jaden Young of Bermudian Landing Village and Cyril Banner, 27, a Coast Guard of Lemonal Village, Belize District, were both left suffering from apparent gunshot wounds following a shooting incident in Lord’s Bank Village, Belize District on Saturday night.

On the Lord’s Bank main road in front of the Belize Water Services compound, police observed a grey Nissan Versa on the left-hand side of the road when traveling from its junction with the Phillip Goldson Highway. Initial investigation reveals that both victims were traveling to Lords Bank Village and in front of the BWS compound, an SUV-type vehicle pulled up from behind and drove near the driver’s side, where a person or persons from within the other vehicle fired several gunshots into the Nissan Versa, causing injuries to both persons.

Banner was reported stable and has since been released while Young is in a critical condition, though it is improving.

Commissioner of Police Chester Williams said it was part of the ongoing dispute between rivals in the villages of the Belize River Valley, which stretches from Burrell Boom to Rancho Dolores villages. This is the second incident related to that dispute to have taken place outside the River Valley, after a flare-up of violence earlier this year: “We know that earlier in the year we saw an increase in shootings in the Belize River Valley area. And then we recently saw that Miss [Mary] Flowers was also shot on [Santa Barbara] Street here in Belize City. And we also believe that her shooting was also a result of those feuds in that area. I have since instructed the operations team under the command of ACP Grinage to make sure that we go after all those persons concerned. We have done a lot in terms of mediation, and meetings, even with the various village councils trying to find a lasting resolution to the issue. But somehow it seems like those young men who are a part of this beef do not want to give up. And they seem determined to go at each other. And so we will intensify our operational efforts at them. And believe you me, they will come to you all the media and they are going to complain. I trust and hope that when the complaints come to you, you do not entertain them. Because there comes a time when we have to stop talk and people have to begin to feel.”

The Commissioner also blamed social media for escalating the feud. He said that while a meeting is planned with villagers in Lemonal this week, the police must clamp down. As for what is causing the feud, the Commissioner told us that among the issues is sporting rivalry on the cricket field, the River Valley being the home of cricket in Belize, but some believe it has gone beyond that.

Police have detained the village chairman of Lemonal as a possible suspect in the ongoing investigation. The police complement in the villages of Burrell Boom and Bermudian Landing has been upgraded with additional support from Belmopan and Ladyville, but as the Commissioner noted, it will be more difficult to monitor them for illicit activity outside the area, though that will not stop them from trying.

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