Dear Doctor Love,
I live in San Pedro near the lagoon side, and lately I’ve been feeling completely helpless when it comes to safety issues in my neighborhood. Twice in the last month, I’ve called the police for disturbances. One time, a loud fight right outside my gate, and another time, a suspicious man hanging around my yard, and nobody ever showed up. When I asked around, some neighbors said that calling is “a waste of time” because nothing will be done anyway. I don’t want to accept that as normal. I’m worried about my family, my home, and my peace of mind. How do we deal with feeling unprotected, and how can I advocate for better response without putting myself or my family at risk? /s/ No Police Action
My dear No Police Action,
Living somewhere that no longer feels safe is like trying to sleep with one eye open your body is home, but your spirit is on guard duty. And you’re right to question it. When people start calling danger “normal,” that’s usually a sign that they’re tired, not that they’re wrong.
Here’s the truth you can’t carry this weight alone.
Start with connection. Make a neighborhood watch group that knows each other by name, that checks in, that looks out that’s the kind of place trouble thinks twice about walking into. You can do this on Facebook or what’s app. You all can inform each other when you see something sketchy. Community is the first layer of safety, and it doesn’t require confrontation, just presence.
When it comes to the police, one voice can be brushed off. But a chorus? Much harder. A group letter, a neighborhood watch meeting, even a calm request for a sit-down with the department these things carry more power and far less personal risk.
And don’t underestimate your peace of mind. It needs tending too. Do what you can control: lights, cameras, neighbors who know when something “looks off.” You’re building a circle, not a fortress.
You’re not helpless, my frien – you’re just tired of carrying this alone. Let others help shoulder it. /s Dr. Love
Dear Doctor Love,
I am a manager one of the larger resorts here on the island, and I’m getting increasingly frustrated with the younger employees we’ve recently hired. They show up late, disappear for long breaks, spend half their time on their phones, and give excuses for everything. When I try to guide them, they say I’m “too strict”. I’m tired of feeling like the bad guy when all I want is for them to take their responsibilities seriously. I don’t want to come off harsh, but I also don’t want to carry the whole workload while they slack off. How do I motivate them without losing my patience? /s/ Stuck Supervising
My dear Stuck Supervising,
Managing a team sometimes feels like trying to herd tide pools everything keeps slipping through your fingers no matter how tight you hold on. And it’s exhausting. You’re not wrong for wanting structure. You’re not wrong for expecting effort. You’re simply a person who cares about the work.
But here’s the tricky thing: young workers today don’t respond to authority the way we did. They respond to connection. They want purpose, not pressure.
Set your standards clearly – not as threats, but as the foundation everyone stands on. Explain the “why,” not just the “do.” When they get something right, shine a little light on it. People grow toward warmth.
And when you need to correct them, do it gently and privately, the way a friend would nudge you back on track, not the way a boss scolds. Calm firmness travels farther than frustration ever will.
And remember: you’re not meant to lift the whole building by yourself. Some people will rise. Some won’t. Your job is to offer the chance, not carry the consequence.
Breathe. Lead steady. /s/ Dr. Love
Dear Doctor Love,
I live in the DFC area, and every time it rains, my yard and street turn into a swamp. I’m tired of waking up to the lake in my yard and the streets, and mosquitoes everywhere. People say this is “just how it is,” but I feel like it’s getting worse every year. Between rising seas, heavier rains, and poor drainage, I’m honestly starting to worry about what life on the island will look like in five or ten years. It’s stressful, expensive, and sometimes it feels like nobody in authority is listening. How do we address this issue, is it beyond us? /s/ Living in water
My dear Living in Water,
When the place you love starts sinking under your feet, it does something to your spirit. You start to wonder if the island is changing faster than we’re allowed to keep up. And you’re not imagining it the rains are heavier, the land is lower, and the systems in place weren’t built for today’s storms.
But here’s the wisdom of it: even when the problem feels bigger than you, you’re not powerless.
On a personal level, you adapt higher walkways, improved yard drainage where possible, mosquito control, the small practical things that ease the daily stress. They won’t fix the whole island, but they do help you breathe again.
On a community level, your voice matters more when it joins others. One complaint is a noise. Many complaints become pressure. Pressure becomes action. Reach out to neighborhood groups, organize small meetings, push for solutions together not with anger, but with persistence.
And remember this: worrying about the future doesn’t make you weak. It just means you actually care. You’re someone who sees what’s coming and wants better, not just for yourself but for the island we all share.
We don’t solve big problems alone. We solve them together, step by step, with steady hearts.
You’re not alone in this rising water. /s/ Dr. Love
Doctor Love is the islands, and possibly the world’s greatest authority on just about everything. The Doctor answers questions concerning any subject except religion or politics. Persons needing additional assistance or counseling should contact Family Services Division at 227-7541. The opinions herein are not necessarily of The San Pedro Sun. Write Doctor Love at PO Box 51, San Pedro Town, Belize, or email: [email protected]
