ComPol Says U.D.P’s in San Pedro Don’t Support Demonstration
Late this evening, News Five caught up with Commissioner Williams here in Belize City. When we spoke with him, the head of the Belize Police Department gave his reasons for rejecting the application for a permit to demonstrate. He also said the motion was not supported by U.D.P. supporters in Belize Rural South.
Chester Williams
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“I didn’t say I don’t want them to protest in San Pedro, I simply said to them that if they want to protest, they can do it before or after the summit. Why go to protest at a summit that will have foreign guests when in fact the reason for the protest, according to your letter which I must was unsigned, is that you are disgruntled with the manner in which the government handled the Andre Perez matter. The people who are here for the summit did not vote for Andre Perez, so why go and protest to them about Andre Perez? You do that to the San Pedro people who voted for him. So it would seem to me that the sole purpose of this demonstration is to embarrass the government and the country.”
Hipolito Novelo
“The UDP chairman is saying that even though there was a rejection it doesn‘t mean that it won‘t happen.”
Chester Williams
“Well again, they are adamant about doing what they want to do. So if they go and protest, despite not having a permit, then the law will take its course.”
Hipolito Novelo
“And you had mentioned that the UDP San Pedro branch was not in support of that protest?”
Chester Williams
“Yes, the UDP San Pedro branch has said that they are not in support of it because the summit is actually a boost for them. They are in slow season right now, you know, where tourism is concerned. So when you have over six hundred foreign guests coming into the country, staying in San Pedro, that is boosting the economy. So why are you going to hamper something that is working for the people? So I could understand the rationale behind the San Pedro branch as to why they are not in support and I would have wanted to think that good leaders would have yielded to such a wise consideration.”
