The Business Chamber of Spanish Lookout has issued a forceful condemnation of escalating criminal violence targeting delivery personnel across Belize. This decisive statement comes in direct response to Wednesday’s fatal shooting of Mark Gabourel, a Caribbean Chicken delivery driver, during an apparent robbery attempt.
Characterizing the attacks as ‘senseless acts of violence,’ the Chamber emphasized the broader implications extending beyond individual tragedy. These criminal incidents pose a direct threat to commercial operations, public security, and national economic stability. ‘This tragic loss of life underscores the alarming escalation of violence confronting hardworking Belizeans,’ the Chamber’s official statement declared. ‘No citizen should fear for their life while performing legitimate employment.’
The Chamber issued explicit demands for immediate governmental intervention, urging coordinated action between Belize’s law enforcement agencies and judicial system. Specific recommendations included enhanced police patrols, targeted enforcement operations, and stringent legal consequences for perpetrators of violent crimes. The objective remains restoring public confidence in security infrastructure while ensuring swift justice for affected families.
Expressing solidarity with Gabourel’s family, colleagues, and nationwide delivery workers, the Chamber emphasized that ‘protecting lives and livelihoods must constitute a national priority.’ The incident occurred approximately at 4:30 p.m. on Mountain View Boulevard in Belmopan, where assailants on a motorcycle fired multiple shots at Gabourel’s vehicle as he exited a compound. Despite being accompanied by a 15-year-old assistant, the driver sustained fatal injuries after attackers attempted to forcibly access the truck. Gabourel was transported to Western Regional Hospital where he subsequently succumbed to his wounds.