BELMOPAN, Belize, CMC – Belize’s Asian community says it intends to drafty new proposals to send to the Dean Barrow government for consideration after two female Chinese shop keepers were murdered here over the last weekend.

“We are planning to draft up a proposal to the government for amendment to judiciary laws. But I’m not sure the details on that; we need to discuss that, “said Edmund Kuan, President of the Belize Chinese Association.

The association which groups the Chinese community across the country has endorsed a two-day shutdown of their stores, restaurants and game shops.

“We are shutting down because we’re coming out here to protest the crime on a whole in Belize City and throughout the country, Kuan said.

Police said that 32-year-old Yan Ying Chen, was shot to her left shoulder, chest and back on Saturday, while  36-year-old Fei Lan Wu, a mother of two, was also gunned down inside her shop.

The Police have held four suspects in the first killing and have also retrieved a loaded pistol on a street in the capital.

Chairman of the Belize/Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce, Philip Ying, said that the crime situation is growing worse and appealed to the authorities to deal with the problem.

“If the judiciary system cannot be improved, you cannot stop the crime. You have to increase the prosecution power,” he said, noting is “extremely important that we send a message that crime is punishable, otherwise you know murderers are walking free”.

On Monday, members of the demonstrated in the streets carrying two caskets with the pictures of the slain women.

Since the start of the year, 38 people, eight more than at the same period last year, have been murdered.