While it is fine that the "bad guy gets shot by a good guy with a gun", somehow I think the residents and visitors to San Pedro look past gun laws for a better solution to a growing crime problem on the island and in Belize in general.

When I first came to Belize 13 years ago, the island was a sleepy little place. No ATM's, dirt streets and it seemed everyone knew everyone. Over the years the island has faced the same problems many other areas of the world have encountered.

When the construction boom started a while back, it seemed like workers were coming to the island from all over Central America. The schools started looking really crowded and the streets seemed full of kids in the evenings. I noticed gang graffiti on buildings. Los Angeles gang graffiti of all places. Then when the big economic downturn happened, the island was left with unfinished projects and lots of migrant workers.

So now with schools over populated, no real organized youth sports programs, no real jobs for teens and a severe lack of jobs training programs, especially for the tourism trades such as the hotel and restaurant industry, what is the outcome?

When we last visited in June, the Five a Side arena was in shambles and the soccer field looked like a war zone.

Stopping crime is not just the job of the police, it takes an entire village.

There are some mighty fine residents in San Pedro that work VERY hard at improving the island. I think it's time for the GOB, the Town Council and the BTB, along with local business leaders to establish some high yield return programs for the island youth of all ages for sports, education and job training opportunities. They are the future of San Pedro, invest in them now. IMHO