By Horace Palacio: “No one should have to fear their life for simply doing their job.” That powerful statement from the Business Chamber of Spanish Lookout should stop every Belizean in their tracks. Because if a man can be murdered while delivering food that feeds this country, then the problem we are facing is far bigger than cash, routes, or procedures. It is crime itself.
The tragic killing of Mark Gabourel, a delivery driver for Caribbean Chicken, is not just a loss for his family or the Mennonite community of Spanish Lookout. It is a national warning. Spanish Lookout is one of Belize’s most productive and revenue-generating communities. It fuels agriculture, poultry, manufacturing, and retail across the country. When violence reaches the people who keep goods moving, it threatens commerce, food security, and national stability.
In the aftermath of incidents like this, a familiar suggestion often surfaces. Go cashless. Remove cash from delivery trucks and the problem will be solved. That idea may sound comforting, but it is dangerously naive. Crime does not disappear because cash disappears. Criminals adapt. If delivery drivers no longer carry cash, robbers will simply target something else. Phones. Vehicles. Fuel. Products. Or worse, they will target softer victims who have even less protection.
Belize must understand a hard truth. Crime is not driven only by opportunity. It is driven by lawlessness, weak deterrence, and a lack of consequences. When criminals believe they can act without fear of being caught or punished, they will keep acting. Changing payment methods does not change criminal mindset. It only shifts the target.
The murder of a delivery driver exposes how deeply this problem runs. Delivery drivers are the bridge between production and the wider market. They are essential workers. When they are attacked, it sends a chilling message to every person who works in logistics, transport, and trade. If these workers feel unsafe, commerce slows. Costs rise. Everyone pays.
The Business Chamber of Spanish Lookout is right to call this a threat to public safety and national stability. Protecting workers is not optional. It is an economic necessity. But protection cannot be symbolic. It must be real. Strong policing, intelligence-led operations, swift investigations, and a justice system that actually delivers consequences are the only things criminals respect.
If Belize responds to this tragedy by debating cashless systems alone, we will miss the point entirely. The issue is not how people are paid. The issue is that criminals feel empowered to kill someone simply for doing their job. Until that changes, no amount of policy tweaks will make Belize safer.
No Belizean should leave home wondering if they will return alive because they went to work. Not a delivery driver. Not a taxi operator. Not a vendor. Not anyone. This country cannot function if fear becomes normal.
Mark Gabourel’s death must not become just another headline. It must force us to confront reality. Crime will not be solved by convenience measures. It will only be solved when Belize decides that lawlessness will no longer be tolerated and when criminals learn that violence comes with real consequences.
If we fail to act decisively, criminals will not stop. They will simply find new victims.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author, Horace Palacio, and do not necessarily reflect the views or editorial stance of Breaking Belize News.
The post Cashless will not stop crime; Criminals will just find new victims appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Horace Palacio: “No one should have to fear their life for simply doing their job.” That powerful statement from the Business Chamber of Spanish Lookout should stop every Belizean in their tracks. Because if a man can be murdered while delivering food that feeds this country, then the problem we are facing is far
The post Cashless will not stop crime; Criminals will just find new victims appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
