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Posted By: Marty North Ambergris Caye Neighborhood Watch Group - 06/20/16 11:14 AM
On Friday half a dozen member of the SP police force showed up at my door. I am honored to pass along the invitation they gave me.

The San Pedro Police Department & The People's Coalition Committee of Ambergris Caye takes the opportunity to invile all residents and business owners of North Ambergris Caye to a special neighborhood meeting.

Date: Tuesday, 21st June 2016
Time: 6:00 PM
Venue: El Pescador Resort, North Ambergris Caye

Topics to be discuss includes the introduction of the PCC of Ambergris Caye, revival of the North Ambergris Caye Neighborhood Watch Group and the address crime issues on the north of the island. Invited guest includes senior personnel of regional command.

We stand together -- We protect each other
Wish I was in town. We do not arrive until the 24th. Please follow up with meeting results and opinions.

Meeting to set up Neighborhood Watch ends with two possible anti-crime groups on North Ambergris Caye

The rising number of burglaries and thefts north of the bridge moved San Pedro police and government officials, residents, business owners and others to seek a way to jump-start the dormant North Ambergris Caye Neighborhood Watch crime prevention group.

As many as 30 concerned citizens met at the El Pescador resort and came away reviving, not one. but two crime-prevention organizations for the nearly 20 miles of island extending north of the Sir Barry Bowen Bridge.

Both Neighborhood Watch groups have apparently enjoyed active and successful pasts over the last decade or so, and for reasons not completely apparent last night, both went dormant. Importantly, both retained membership mailing lists and institutional memories of successes and failures in running volunteer crime prevention groups.

Representatives from both groups expressed enthusiasm about reviving their organizations, and reluctance about merging into a single north island Neighborhood Watch. Fortunately for the long and narrow island, they would not overlap responsibilities.

One group would maintain responsibility over the area from the bridge to Mata Grande grocery store. The second would keep watch over the island to the north of the store, possibly as far as the northernmost island resorts, around Mexico Rocks. Jan Van Noord, owner of Portofino Resort, spearheads what is called the Middle Ambergris Caye Neighborhood Watch. Rob Eykelbeysh of Marbucks coffeeshop and Daydreamin' Bed & Breakfast was pressed into leadership of the other group last night.

Both groups - and any citizens interested in public safety - will meet on Saturday at 10 a.m. at Marbucks to figure out the next steps. (The original post inadvertently gave the wrong time for the meeting. Blogger's error. My apologies.)

Click here to read the rest of the article and see more photos in the Bound for Belize Blog

Thanks for the report. Comment, question on one item.... Areas where the groups will focus.
Pretty sure that Middle Island will focus on the area starting just above Journey's End, which was the area covered by that group in the past and is probably the most practical from a neighborhood and infrastructure point of view. I could be mistaken, but this is what Jan reported to me after the meeting. Also to divide an area at the grocery doesn't make sense, as the grocery is located right in the middle of a cohesive existing neighborhood.
I'm sure the groups will settle on something that works.
Looking forward to working together for a safe and sane island for everyone.



Thanks everyone. I sent out the following message to those on our old list.

If you are on the island please attend a short meeting this Saturday, June 25, 2016 at 10:00 AM on the deck at Mar Buck's.

We need to get reorganized, elect an operating committee, establish our objectives and set priorities.

The meeting last night was informative and stimulating. Saturday's meeting will summarize the information we received.

For instance - update on little house we built being moved and renovated.

We must update our telephone tree and mailing list. When you get this please take the time to respond by listing:

Your full names

Belize telephone numbers

E-mail addresses

Availability to participate with neighbors

Preferred time and date for regular monthly meetings

Location on Ambergris Caye ( List neighbors on all sides of you, this to organize a working telephone tree.)


We have a lot of new people here since our last meeting. We are responsible for the area from the bridge to ? (I forgot). There are two more groups north of us and San Mateo is being formed as a group.

I am writing this as the person responsible for the Yahoo group - nothing else.

I look forward to seeing you.

Harriette Fisher
Birdland
622-9808

I will soon be a neighbor. I am building in Belizean Coves. I'm on the post as larrypied. I would be interested in the watch group.
We've seen two different times for this meeting, 10AM and 1PM. Can you please clarify, Harriette?
Thanks!
Unless some one has made a change and not told me it is still on for 10:00 AM
Thanks!
Many thanks to Rob for a short and efficient meeting. No grandstanding, no wasted time. Good on ya!
Attention all North Ambergris Caye residents! A meeting will be held on Saturday, March 11th starting at 10PM at the Grand Caribe Conference Room to discuss the revival of the North Ambergris Caye Neighborhood Watch. Everyone is invites to this important meeting on the safety of North Ambergris Caye.
10 A.M.?
Hope so!
Yes, 10:00 AM - and NOT island time.

Northern Ambergris Caye Neighbourhood Watch meets to discuss future plans

In an attempt to revive the Northern Ambergris Caye Neighbourhood Watch (NACNW), a meeting was held to discuss matters affecting the area. The March meeting was attended by concerned residents as well as local authorities, including the Officer in Charge of the San Pedro Police Department (SPPD) Assistant Superintendent Henry Jemmott and Mayor Daniel Guerrero.

Businessman and resident of Northern Ambergris Caye, Rob Eykelbeysh, started the meeting by welcoming everyone who made the effort to attend. He shared that the NACNW is a cooperative effort between residents of Northern Ambergris Caye and the police, adding that any suggestions to better the mission of the group are welcome. Speaking on the issue of hiring security personnel, Jemmott advised to always consult with the police first in order to obtain police records. "Since 2014, San Pedro has seen a steady decline in crime," he said. "Success is due to the people."

A plan to provide a boat and an officer to the north part of the island from 6AM to 6PM, seven days per week was then discussed. A few residents asked Jemmott for his opinion in the option for businesses to hire night shift security personnel. "These people must be properly trained in police procedures, and we don't have officers to do that," Jemmott responded.

Jemmott added that eventually the police department hopes to decentralize and have a station in Northern Ambergris Caye to provide service to difficult-to-reach areas. This included Secret Beach, which those gathered declared as dangerous after dark due to its remoteness and development boom. Due to the recent shuffle in the Government Ministries, a timeline for the new station could not be specified. However, the SPPD committed to the idea. It was suggested that constables may be used to man the north security booths, until the police have the funds needed to open a station.

Mayor Guerrero touched on the rapid growth and development of the island, saying that "it must be sustainable for the future." Guerrero even announced that the collection booth at the Sir Barry Bowen Bridge will be removed, and that a second bridge is going to be built. There were no more details available on that matter.

Click here to read the rest of the article in the San Pedro Sun

Please note this article describes a meeting held about a month ago.
CLARIFICATION
The toll booth will be MOVED - not removed.
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