Email

Print

Initially, the COMPOL had said he was taken aback by the bill - and would not be paying all that. Today, though, speaking at the Training Academy in Belmopan, he took a softer stance:..

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"I have been told reliably and I do very well believe that there are still officers staying at Pedro's Inn. I have since had that discussion with Mr. Noble and from what he has since said to me, is that the proprietor has agreed to house the officers for free until they could find somewhere else. So if it is that he, being nice and housing them for free for a little while until you can find somewhere else, I am grateful for that. As a matter of fact, Mr. Peter Lawrence is a very outstanding businessman and he has worked extremely well with the police in San Pedro, even assisting with renovating the police station. So he's not a bad person. If it is that he is clamoring for his payment that we owe him, as I said before, we owe the man, we have to pay him. We're not going to be like those malpagos and don't want to pay our bills and it will not look good on us. So the bill will be paid."

Reporter
"Isn't that a different tone from what you took last Monday though. Correct me if I'm wrong."

Chester Williams
"I guess Channel Five still don't get it. I said last week Monday that we have racked up a bill and the man is a businessman and he must be paid. Isn't that what I said?"

Reporter
"You said sir, that it had to be shared, that you might pay half of it but you will not pay a hundred thousand dollars."

Chester Williams
"I didn't say half. I said that I am going to meet with the other stakeholders, the town council, B.T.B., the San Pedro chapter and we're going to see how we can pay the bill, but the bottom line is the man has to be paid."

Reporter
"Has that meeting with those stakeholders happened?"

Chester Williams
"No, I am hopig to go to San Pedro next week and then we have that meeting."

Reporter
"Why is the department though seeking financial assistance from other stakeholders when it should be part of the department's mandate to be able to take care of its accommodations of its men and women?"

Chester Williams
"The police have barrack rooms in San Pedro to accommodate police officers. The barrack rooms are full to capacity. Because of the situation in San Pedro then, the people, BTB, San Pedro Chapter of BTIA, Town Council - all ask for additional police officers to be on the island. We agree, we saw the need, we send out the officers. The officers cannot be left to stay out on the streets. Whether or not that anybody responsibility the bill is there and we must pay it. How we will get the money to pay it, we will find it. As I've said we will talk with the other stakeholders. I am sure that they will understand and they will help us, even if it's with a dollar, they will help us and whatever it is that they cannot afford then we will take up the tab to pay the rest."