The problem of border jumpers escaping from quarantine continued this weekend - and, again, it happened at the Victor Galvez Stadium in Cayo,
Reports say that on Saturday night, 6 persons escaped from quarantine including 3 Guatemalans who had been captured in Chiquibul - almost a month ago(!).
Again, the security of the quarantine centres falls to the BDF - but the escapes are a security problem for police as well. Today in Belmopan we asked the Commissioner to confirm and comment:
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"I can confirm that over the weekend there were 6 persons of Guatemalan national who escaped from the Victor Galvez Stadium in San Ignacio Town which is used as a quarantine center for the west. I have tasked Mr. Myvett to put together an investigative team to launch a criminal investigation into that matter and the reason being that upon inspection of the area where these persons escaped there were padlocks on a shutter and obviously there was no breakage. The padlocks were not damaged. From what it appears at this time, keys were used to open those padlocks to facilitate the escape. So we will be looking at that and if it is that we find that anyone aided or facilitated the escape then those persons will be charged criminally. Simultaneously the BDF is also conducting their own investigation as you would know that it is the BDF who man these quarantine centres. And so they are looking at their internal mechanism to see if there was some negligence on the part of those officers who were working at that particular moment and once there is then I am sure they will also bring internal charges against the officers concerned. From what I have been briefed, there is only one person who had keys to the locks that were on the shutters and so our investigation will have to be centred around that person who will have to explain how is it that these individuals were able to escape without having to break any locks to get out of the facility."
Reporter
"It must be a concerned to you that the purpose for which these quarantine centers were set up, the purpose is being depleated."
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"It is a great concern. We spend countless hours doing patrol around the borders, trying to intercept those who put at risk the lives of all our Belizeans and they are caught and placed into these quarantine facilities only to see that they escape. It is not what we intended and I can tell you that our minister as well is pretty much concerned. As a matter of fact we are having a meeting to discuss that issue."
We note that last week as well, three persons escaped from that quarantine at Victor Galvez.
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