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But were the police pulling an "ambush in the night" on the Belizean people or just doing their best to promote necessary social distancing? We heard opposing views from the Minister and Commissioner..

Anthony "Boots" Martinez, Minister of Human Development
"The policemen came and closed down the Salvation Army Pantry illegally. This is a legit business that operates food. It is entitled to work from 8am until 4pm in the evening, the people must maintain social distance. You hear the cry for food for people, you hear the cry that people want a little food how will you turn back people in the legit hours and my problem with it is the police, I could tell you, have no legal authority under the law so the commissioner needs to be careful of not having the policemen breaking the law."

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"This is not a time for us to be fighting against each other. We need to work together, and the Minister from my understanding of the law was completely wrong. The state of emergency regulations did not make any provision for pantry programs to run. I heard him say that they can open until 4pm if they so wish and that the police cannot stop them. Let me say that the pantry program is not a store, is not a convenience store, is not a shop. It is a delivery of goods or it is the provision of goods."

Anthony "Boots" Martinez, Minister of Human Development
"I am terribly upset and you see sometimes I wonder if there is a social conscience, Sir. Like for example all Public servants including police people have been paid, a lot of them don't have anything to eat and then you're stopping them from getting something to eat, sir. I have a problem with that."

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"We understand the need for the pantry program we understand that people cannot be locked up in their homes and don't have nothing to eat and so we are compromising in the sense that we will work with the pantry people to ensure that those who come to the pantry maintain social distance."

Anthony "Boots" Martinez, Minister of Human Development
"They say instruction came from above of which nobody can't tell you what kind of instruction or what law came from above when I came out here the corporal said to me instruction comes from above but how the thing can work like that?"

"They were closing down Wellworth, they closed down Samuel Haynes, they closed down Salvation Army at Oleander Street with no authority."

Jules Vasquez:
"You believe they were well within their rights to shut down that Pantry?"

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"By law yes they were but I had given previous instructions following discussion with my minister that we were to allow it to occur but apparently that instruction was not trickled down so the officers who were on the ground did what the law authorizes them to do which was to close down and so they were not wrong. They were perfectly right in so doing."

Jules Vasquez:
"So then if they were not wrong that means that the minister was wrong."

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"Of course the minister was wrong."

Angel Noble:
"Under whose instructions they opened it again?"

Anthony "Boots" Martinez, Minister of Human Development
"Under my instructions for two reasons, because the police were acting illegally so they do not undermine, I just tell people that you have your rights. The police cannot close you down."

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"Myself and my minister have agreed that we are going to facilitate the pantry program but at the same time I also want to make it clear that members of the security forces are out there day and night leaving their homes, leaving their families, coming out and putting themselves at risk of contracting the virus and they come to work everyday motivated as the managers it is our duty to keep our officers motivated as the managers it is our duty to keep motivated with a very high morale at this time. It is needed and if I am not going to stand up for my officers then who will."

The Ministry of Human Development is listed in Schedule two of the state of emergency regulations as one of those entities that may operate between the hours of 9 am and 4 pm.

Nevertheless, in an effort to reduce lines and ensure social distancing at the Pantries the Ministry of Human Development has released a new pantry schedule. Now, patrons will only be able to pick up their grocery items in the timespan allotted to them based on an alphabetical system.