It is well known that crime has increased on our little island and that as a result many of our tourists have packed up and left. Many people are complaining that more needs to be done to combat crime. I am in agreement with this so let’s look at the options available to us and also at how we are to pay for them:

1)      Increase our military police force

2)      Increase our civil police force

3)      Ask for tourist police to be added to the island

These are three simple options but who is to absorb the cost of each one? Let’s look at each one separately. If we increase our military police force the ‘municipalidad’ will have to pick up the bill in some form. With more military police here they will also be looking for ways to line their pockets on the side. More does not always mean better. Whenever we have had an influx of more military police on Utila they found ways to ‘multa’ our people over simple things. This is the same in the USA and other parts of the world. When the State Police needs to raise money to cover wages they write out more speeding tickets towards the end of the month or the beginning of the month. We should expect no better from the military police force here. On the bright side it might slow down the speeders on the roads in town. We have a stretch of road out to the new airport plus the airstrip where they can open up the motos but no, they still have to do it in town.

We increase our Civil Police and we, the people, but mainly the dive shops have to foot the bill. The Civil Police was formed to deter the rising crime, mainly stealing, going on nightly. It did deter the thieves for a while but as we know those same thieves took to the harbor and destroyed the little bit of sailboat traffic we had. In reality those same thieves have destroyed and are still destroying our economy. The public generally does not notice things until it hits them in their pocket. I believe that by now most of us have come to realize something has to be done. The dive shops that willingly put up the cash to fund the Civil Police every month won’t want to open their pockets now since the crimes have simply changes to other areas.

Tourist Police is the third option but who will pick up the bill? The government will not take care of Utila and the people need to understand this. Every new service brought to the island has to be funded some way. Generally that means more taxes, something Utilians have not enjoyed paying in the past. Wages are not the only cost involved with such Police forces. We have to house and board them plus keep in mind that the cost to transport criminals to and from Roatan has to be paid by the people in some manner. We know that whoever goes to Roatan will be back within a few days to do the same things.

So where does that leave us? The dive shops would be more inclined to continue funding the Civil Police if they saw more positive results. We cannot stop crime any more than we can stop the drug problem. What we need to do is to get a legal system back to Utila to help solve our own problems rather than wait on the government to do something. One simple solution to the harbor thieves would be to build an observation deck up on the back side of the ‘Cabildo’. It could be manned daily and at night and have the guard equipped with a night vision scope. By the way I believe one is available on the island for just such a program but the owner requires some schooling on the equipment because of the cost factors. It may not be the same as eyes in the sky but it would be a step in the right direction.

We also have to address the Judges office. Either that office needs to have certain powers restored or needs to be dissolved. Elsewhere the judge holds a position of power and respect because they are basically retired lawyers wanting to help the people rather than shaft them with their fees as they did while they practiced law. The Judge should know the law inside and out and have the power to carry out the law and establish punishment. What can the Judge’s office in Roatan do for us that we cannot do for ourselves other than handle capital cases.

We set fines for those doing things wrong but the fines are a joke. The fines are so low it is cheaper for those committing the crimes to pay the fine and continue on with what they were doing. Rather than set a fine for L500.00 set it at L10,000.00 and impose it strictly. Why should any thief worry about L500.00 when they can pay that off in one nights’ work? If it is set high enough it might cause them to rethink their actions. 

When the Military do make a case it is often destroyed by the family of the criminal paying them off. It is a vicious joke the way the system works here for the criminals. We buy things from thieves knowing full well they acquired the things illegally. It should be a crime punishable in the same manner. No we turn our heads when we are a part of something rather than doing the right thing. How many times do we purchase breadfruit, limes, avocadoes, and other fruits from known thieves and simply smile at the cost. This is wrong and it sends the wrong message to everyone. Then we are the first to complain when crime escalates on the island to higher crimes. We no longer smile when our houses are broken into or our families being threatened. 

We had a killing over the weekend along with a rape. The rape could have been prevented by more lighting in the area of the rape. The murder is a different story. Generally this type of crime happened the way it did to send a message to those around him. It would be my guess to say it was drug related because of the manner of the death. I stated earlier we cannot stop crime or drugs but we can work to deter them.

If we are to ask the government to help us then I suggest we ask in a way to let the government know we want their help to show us how to help ourselves. Consider the cost to send one criminal along with two guards to Roatan, transport them, room and board them until they get back home. We as tax payers have to absorb these costs because the government is not going to do so. This is why I believe we first have to make the Judges office one of respect and responsibility. Since the crimes are committed here then we should be able to set the punishment. If they cannot pay the fine then break out the old fashion horse whip in public and let everyone know we mean business. But then we cannot do such things to the criminals can we? It would be against the law. Who makes the laws but the people. Break into my house and I catch you I will handle things my way. When it is all done and over with the criminal will be taking me to the Judge but I doubt he will want to do it again. 

Tourists are told regularly to protect themselves because the authorities will not. This is why there is huge separation of the locals and tourists. Tourist bars are tourist bars and local bars are for locals why? Because we make it that way by our actions as islanders. The resorts have to protect their clients first and foremost if they are to keep coming back. We criticize the resort owners but we do nothing to solve the problem. They, like us, would like to see their clients mingling with the islanders as in the old days but it will not happen because we are not the same as our fore fathers. 

We will not fix the problem overnight and it is useless to look for a quick fix because it never works for long. What we need to do is attack each problem or challenge as it arises and prepare for the next. I told a certain individual when I first returned to the island to be careful because I could see the way he was doing business and where I had just come from his days would be limited. He knew what he was doing and laughed it off. This same individual and those around him are part of the islands’ problems rather than being a part of the solution. The same can be said for others that we as islanders protect. We would rather protect them and ruin our economy than to stand up and be heard and put our foot down and say enough is enough. 

This is how I see it from my vantage point. I have seen a few more things than most here but also know when someone steps on your foot you can either step aside and allow them to continue walking on us or stand our ground and say no more. Utilians are known for stepping aside as history has proven and continues to prove. So should we find a solution or continue to step aside?