| On Tuesday night, we told you that the police had racked up a 6 figure bill at Pedro's Inn in San Pedro. That's because the cops had added deployments of officers staying at the hotel since the middle of last year, when crime spiked to a dangerous high on the island. Since the, the added police presence has brought down the crime - but at a cost.
And, the question tonight is, who will pay the hundred thousand dollar tab? Word to us is that despite the Commissioner's claims to the contrary, the police officers are still saying at Pedro's Inn and the bill continues to climb. Today when the press asked the commissioner about it, he says he expects to order to be complied with and the cops will be moving:
Chester Williams, Commissioner Of Police
"I have no need to lie, I am not going to go into a back and forth with Mr Lawrence, he is a businessman, the police stayed at his place a bill has been racked up and it needs to be paid, bottom line. I'm not saying that he's not going to be paid. It has to be paid in terms of whether the officers vacate I said on Monday I have given instructions for our officers to vacate immediately and that instruction was given to Mr Noble. So if it is that Mr Noble has not complied with my instructions then that's another story that he and I will have that discussion over. I do not expect that our officers are still staying at that hotel or any hotel per se. I have said to Mr Noble that we need to find an alternative accommodation that is not going to have those substantial costs upon the people of Belize."
As we told you on Tuesday, the commissioner believes the responsibility for the 6 figure tab falls somewhere between the Police Department, the BTB and the San Pedro chapter of the BTIA.
On Tuesday we reported that the local chapter of the BTIA was broke and could not pay its part. But, we have since been told that's not right. Here is the official position:
Chairwoman for the San Pedro Belize Tourism Industry Association Tamara Sniffin stated, quote, "We've have always maintained that we would do what we can (within our means) to assist our local police force, but until we can meet with ComPol we can not comment on his suggestion that the organization assist with the outstanding hotel bill." Sniffin reported that the local BTIA chapter did provide support to the police for several days in July last year with meals, transportation, and some accommodations when the additional officers first arrived on the island, but they never agreed to provide financial support.
|
