Commissioner: truck should not have crossed border
Also in Belmopan today was Commissioner of Police Carmen Zetina. He offered an explanation as to how and why a Belize police truck just happened to be seized in Melchor de Mencos, Guatemala.
Carmen Zetina, Commissioner of Police
“According to them, it was connected to some robbery. Somebody robbed the owner of it and they identified the vehicle as belonging to that person in Guatemala.”
Janelle Chanona
“So we have gotten confirmation that the vehicle is stolen, so the vehicle will be staying in Guatemala?”
Carmen Zetina
“Well, we are working on it to see what will happen, because certainly they have to produce documents that the person owns it. Up to now that is what they are claiming, that it is owned by the Guatemalan.”
Janelle Chanona
“But Belize isn’t asking for the vehicle back or anything like that?”
Carmen Zetina
“Well we will be asking, but supposed the produce document of ownership, then certainly they have to keep it.”
Janelle Chanona
“So we have put in a position that we want that vehicle back, if it isn’t stolen?”
Carmen Zetina
“Well I don’t know what is doing, because this is a matter for Foreign Affairs to deal with it.”
Janelle Chanona
“If the vehicle does come up as being stolen, will we be furnishing the Guatemalan authorities with the VINs of the other vehicles confiscated last November to verify if those came from Guatemala as well?”
Carmen Zetina
“The Guatemalan authorities at the beginning of this thing, they were actually in the picture with the vehicle and they didn’t identify any at that time. But they see now after eleven months they come up now that they have identified one of them.”
Janelle Chanona
“So it might turn up now if we give them the other numbers too right?”
Carmen Zetina
“Well certainly, because once they can identify that the others, if we have others in Belize and they identify they belong to them, then government has to decide as to what action to take; whether to deliver it or just retain it.”
Janelle Chanona
“So we will be doing that then?”
Carmen Zetina
“Yes.”
Janelle Chanona
“The officers that took the vehicle across, I have been made to understand that, one, that is not exactly allowed, to take a government vehicle across the border without express written consent. Was that the case, and is that allowed? Will they be in any kind of trouble?”
Carmen Zetina
“Well they have specific instruction on no government vehicle; that’s a general governance policy that no government vehicle should go across the border, any of the borders, not only Guatemala, but even Mexican, and if they do they must have the written consent of the head of department.”
Janelle Chanona
“Did they have that consent?”
Carmen Zetina
“Well no, because as far as I know, I was out of the country, and certainly the one who had taken over from me temporarily did not sanction that.”
Janelle Chanona
“So what will happen to the officers?”
Carmen Zetina
“Well we’ll see what will happen. I don’t think anything much will happen because it’s just a matter of certain indiscretion that was used. And I don’t see we have to kill them for that, but certainly they need some kind of talking to be done to them.”
Those officers are Inspector Francis Williams and Assistant Inspector Albert Kelly.
