PM Confirms that Police were Shadowing William Mason AKA Ted Ouelette

On Monday, at a press conference held by the Ministry of National Security, it was revealed that police had been pursuing Mason for several weeks, following a report of an alleged kidnapping.  Tailing Mason, it seems, did not include a raid of his premises.  During that time however, several conspicuous events, including congratulatory drinks in honor of Faber’s ascension to Deputy Party Leader, were held at the residence in Belmopan.  As a result, Mason presumably carried on as though he may have been above the law.

Jules Vasquez

“Isn’t there a practical effect because the police said they had information for two months, two months within which Patrick Faber, the Deputy Prime Minister, was having congratulatory drinks at his house.  That falls within the two-month window.  I’m saying it had a practical effect because they couldn’t move on this house because, I don’t know, it seemed as though he was untouchable and might that not be because of his close relationship with these very senior ministers, including the police minister and including also the commander of the GSU?”

Dean Barrow

Prime Minister Dean Barrow

“Man Jules, first of all, you make all sorts of allegations that I don’t know to be true.  But in terms of the substance, there is no suggestion, I’ve been briefed by Deputy Commissioner Blackett from the start, almost on a daily basis, there is no suggestion that any point the police stayed their hand in terms of shadowing this fellow, in terms of surveillance because of acquaintanceship that the fellow might have had with ministers and certainly there was nothing from the Minister of Police.  In fact, I believe I heard Blackett say at the press conference that they have been shadowing this fellow; that they moved when they did and not before because they didn’t want to raid the home in circumstances where they might not have achieved their objective.  I don’t know if because, he can explain why.  The man, it appears now, people, he had gipped a couple of people in Belmopan and so there was some knowledge or report circulating as to him being a conman.  There was never, as far as I can determine, any suggestion that the man was a would-be murderer, a kidnapper, or somebody who engaged in violence.  It seems that the information initially was limited merely to the fact that he will rob you blind in consequence of relationships and associations that a number of people, businesspeople voluntarily got into.  But there was never any suggestion that this man was a threat to public safety as I understand it.”

Tonight, it is also known that mason’s wife, Melissa Ferguson cannot be located.