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Roatan and Bay Islands Discussion List Archive
| Posted On: | 23-Mar-2005 |
| From: | "Hennings, David" [hennings.....com] |
| Subject: | RE: [roatan] Digest Number 1484 |
In my humble opinion this post from Melanie is the best assessment I have read on what to expect on Roatan since I started reading nearly two years ago. -----Original Message----- From: roatan.....com [mailto:roatan.....com] Sent: Wednesday, March 23, 2005 4:41 AM To: roatan.....com Subject: [roatan] Digest Number 1484 There are 3 messages in this issue. Topics in this digest: 1. Re: Followup question to the crime topic.... From: "Eric" 2. The cost of arrest and prosecution isn't free here. From: CBeachInn.....com 3. Forum for Crime Discussion From: "dean_milverton" ____________ ____________ Message: 1 Date: Wed, 23 Mar 2005 05:42:53 -0000 From: "Eric" Subject: Re: Followup question to the crime topic.... Thank You Melanie As an off Island homeowner I have dealt with some of the trials and tribulations that have been brought up here. I must agree with so much you say as well as some good points brought up at the airport meeting last month. I certainly do not ever want higher taxes attributed to me but really, does anyone expect that the minimal taxes can pay for services as in the US? My waterfront 2500 square foot home has taxes of about $120 US. I think I can afford a little in extra security. Heck, our water was out for a while and it took a "donation" on our part to get the community well back in order. Most would have continued to carry water as needed. Yes, we have bars, a watchman, friends, as well as very little in the house. Basic furniture, a decent kitchen and a half ass TV is what we have, As well as views that could be from any travel magazine in the world. Ironically my better half has been working in Nassau Bahamas this past week and has had to deal with water being turned off for a spell, tiny livestock in the rooms, and poor people in the streets. She laughed when she told me how some of her co-workers dealt with these "major" problems and she just wrote them off as Island life. There are things that do bother me with Roatan and trying to get things done but I must always remember that it was my informed decision that got me there. The man who previously lived in my home had been broken into numerous times, he also disliked Islanders and did not hesitate to let that be known. Guess what, the watchman next door, who he had threatened numerous times, did not ever see anyone breaking into his home. It is a different world, Anyone that would invest without spending time there is at risk of surprise, That said, if you do your best, treat people well, I still feel that you will be surprised at how good things can be. I know more people at my neighborhood in Roatan than I do in Florida and as soon as I show up they all know I am there within a day or so. For me it is still a great adventure and I just suggest anyone interested to do their own research. Thanks Eric --- In roatan.....com, "Melanie" wrote: > > > Dear List, > > I just want to point out a few facts about police and judicial > procedures in Honduras. > > Hmmmm, where to start. First, it is important to remember that all > Honduran institutions are underfunded. If your local police > department in the US is possibly underfunded, think what kind of > chronic understaffing, lack of training, and lack of equipment there > is in Honduras. Ditto the judicial system. So, if some of the > following practices seem unjust and unfair, just try to understand > that it is not that people here don't want to advance, it's just > that they have a challenge each day to keep from backsliding. > > If you want to report a non-violent crime, you will be responsible > for transporting the police. They aren't going anywhere until you > buy the gas, unless someone was hurt or killed. In my work, I have > a need at times for a police report, or other assistance from the > police, and I always budget for their gas and if it is going to be a > long day, some food and soft drinks. Yes, there should be room in > the police department budget for fuel for the vehicles, but the car > won't move without gas. (That is a good tip for living in Honduras > long term -- don't ever try to argue the simplest facts). > > Then, if you want to prosecute a non-violent crime, you will have to > hire a lawyer. This is a figure in Honduran criminal law, > the "private accuser," which is a lawyer who represents a criminal > victim, and tries the case, as opposed to the Public Attorneys > (Fiscalia, Ministerio Publico). There are two ways to press charges > in any crime, one is with a private accuser and one is via the > Ministerio Publico, like the District Attorneys office. > > Can you guess which one is more effective? And either way, if you > go for the publicly supported route, you should still budget for > transportation, food if necessary. So neither option is free. > > There are four attorneys that work at the Fiscalia in Roatan. They > try all the criminal cases in Islas de la Bahia, except for those in > which the victims pay their own private accuser. Although it is a > very quiet and safe place overall, there are enough major crimes > (homicide, major drug trafficking busts) that I believe that all > four of those lawyers probably work hard all week and still don't > get everything done. > > So, if you are the victim of a crime against your property, and no > one was hurt, you will not automatically get any attention from the > police or the judicial system. If you want to press charges, you > will personally have to coordinate the whole thing, and pay all the > expenses. > > This is why people get let out of jail after 24 hours. If I were > asked to advise a person who found themselves in jail, that is > always the first advice -- sit tight, after 24 hours, if no one is > paying a private attorney, then no other procedures will be filed, > and the defense attorney shows up and asks that the imprisoned > person be released, since there is no ongoing criminal charges. > > If you show up at the police station or the Fiscalia seeking help > from them, for free, then the friendly ones will try to explain it > to you, and the unfriendly ones will laugh in your face. > > I also like to point out that crime affects everyone, the poor are > especially likely to be victims of crime. Ask some little lady in > Barrio Los Fuertes how many times a week she gets rolled for the 20 > Lps. she was going to use to buy eggs and tortillas. And her family > doesn't eat that day. And if she goes to the police or the > Fiscalia, they will laugh in her face. > > Honduras is a sea of necessities, with a trickle of resources. The > poor do not receive welfare. The sick do not receive health care. > Abandoned children live in the streets. And crime victims do not > get justice. > > Try searching the interet for information on Highly Indebted poor > countries. > > Ok, anyone still with me? The bottom line is, no one in Honduras is > going to help you, they don't have the resources. You have to do > everything yourself, which is kind of freeing once you actually > accept it. > > You have to protect your own belongings. I personally also advise > not having too much stuff, that is how I've avoided a lot of crime > in Honduras. And you have to accept that your belongings flow into > and out of your life, and sometimes theft is just a way to pare down > our material posessions, giving back to the universe. > > You can call me crazy for saying that, but ten years later, I can > still enjoy my time in Honduras, and look the people around me and > see that they are good people, and trying to do their best under > tough circumstances, and that no one is more upset than the Good > people of Roatan to see a crime wave. But if you are going to > demand immediate and effective action from public officials and > institutions, then I have to suggest that you not come here to > demand services. > > The newly imported foreign residents (to put it kindly) brought a > ton of wordly posessions with them, and have invested huge amounts > in homes. The government doesn't have the resources to protect this > influx of personal property. > > And a huge proportion of these transplanted residents are investors > and business owners, expecting to have economic gain from their time > in Honduras. > > So right in your budget you need to plan for your own personal > security protection, be it a dog, a watchy, a gun, bars on the > window, video cameras (so you can watch your stuff going away again > and again), private security companies, lots of outside lighting, > cell phones for every member of the family, locks on the windows, > etc. > > You could also try to help your local police, but that might be > pouring resources into a black hole. But it could be helpful, > especially donations of equipment. I also half suspect that if you > paint any building yellow and grey, the police will move in there > and open a post. Of course then you would have to feed them. But > you wouldn't have to pay for their gas anymore, if you made it close > to your house. > > That is my advice (since I've been asked). Take care of yourself. > If you came down here to make demands on the government, then that > is going to be a disappointment for you. > > (I'm just chatting and not proofreading, so if it sounds wrong, > maybe it is!!! and of course, much of this is just my humble opinion) > > Regards, > Melanie Wetzel > www.honduranlaw.com http://www.roatanet.com To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/roatan/ roatan- : | |
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