ComPol Williams Says Number of Sick Leave Applicants Remains Steady

Chester Williams

Following the police promotion process, reports from within the Belize Police Department began to emerge to the effect that officers who were not happy began reporting to work sick. The number of sick days applications reportedly increased prompting Commissioner Chester Williams to fire off a memo in which officers are told that they needed to obtain a doctor certificate from a Social Security approved medical facility. On Monday, Williams clarified the reports, saying that the memorandum was not prompted by applications of sick leave because there has not been a rise, but rather due to the Social Security contribution reform.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“No, that is not true. Our sick leave applicants have remained steady. We did not see an increase but the reason that memorandum was sent out in terms of reporting sick was due to the fact that Social Security as you know once you report sick Social security pays half and the employer pays the other half of the salary and there are a number of institutions that are pooled by Social Security where persons who are insured by Social Security are required to report sick. So all we want to do is to streamline our areas in line with that of Social Security. I will admit that from time in memorial we have had instances where officers have reported sick when in fact they are not sick. Some of them if they are given a detail to perform and they don’t want to perform that duties, they tell you automatically I am going to my doctor and they go to a doctor and come back with sick days. So you know they are not sick. So again, these are things that we want to streamline to be able to ensure that officers report sick at approved institutions by Social Security.”