Political Nightmare on Fort Street: P.U.P.’s “Chicken Dread” Vs. U.D.P.’s Douglas Grant

A Nightmare on Fort Street.  It’s the name of a Halloween weekend event that took place at the popular nightclub Sit and Sip.  An incident which occurred outside of the establishment following the dance could have easily resulted in a real-life frightening experience.  That’s because well-known U.D.P. supporter Douglas Grant Junior was seen brandishing a firearm and verbally threatening fast food vendor Paul ‘Chicken Dread’ Ferguson in front of the venue.  According to Ferguson, a stalwart of the People’s United Party, he was having a casual conversation with Grant moments earlier, during which the Belmopan resident reportedly asked him for a plate of fried chicken.  That chit-chat then escalated to a verbal exchange which resulted in Grant breaking a bottle on the street, before producing his licensed handgun and pointing it in the air.  The entire scenario unfolded in plain view of a mobile police strike team that was parked just a few feet away.  While it is a criminal offense to brandish a firearm in public, legal action is yet to be taken against Grant.  Admittedly, however, Ferguson told the media that while he may have goaded Grant with political trash talk, there was no reason for the public officer to react in such an irrational manner.

Paul ‘Chicken Dread’ Ferguson

Paul ‘Chicken Dread’ Ferguson, Fast food Vendor

“On Saturday at approximately 2:30 or three o’clock in the morning, I was at Sit and Sip selling fried chicken and I saw Douglas Grant exit the night establishment.  I went to greet him and we were talking.  He went to a vehicle to retrieve his firearm with one of his friends.  We were walking and just discussing stuff.  He asked me if he could get a plate of chicken and I told him that the chicken was finished and I guess he got very upset by him not being able to get a chicken from me.  I also explained to him that his party was finished because he said things are hard out here and I said because things are hard out there it’s caused by your party.  “Unu paaty done!”  “Unu Finish!”  I think he got very upset. What happened after that pulled out his firearm, put in the air, cocked it back and someone in the background said, “No!”  Then he pointed it at me and said he was going to kill me.  He said, “I will make news.  I want to make history.  I wahn kill wahn [bleep] P.U.P.!”  I wahn kill you.”  And he pointed the gun at me and at that time I felt very fearful.  I feared for my life, I thought he was going to shoot me.”

Isani Cayetano

“You also mentioned earlier that there was an incident that ensued with police afterwards that resulted in your detention.”

Paul Ferguson

“Well, when I saw the strike team just talking to Douglas and didn’t arrest him or anything like that I got very upset and I said, “Come on man, this man da noh God, why unu cyant arrest this man?”  But, you know, it’s Douglas.  He even said that he run Belize City just like how he runs Belmopan.”

Douglas Grant Jr.

Isani Cayetano

“So how long were you in detention?”

Paul Ferguson

“For about four hours.”

Isani Cayetano

“With no charges or anything?”

Paul Ferguson

“No charges.”

Reporter

“What are you calling for now?”

Paul Ferguson

“For them to charge him.”

Reporter

“Have you made a statement?”

Paul Ferguson

“I did.  I made the statement at seven o’clock Sunday morning.  The same morning.”

Reporter

“And have you got an update since?”

Paul Ferguson

“The corporal did call and asked me to bring in another witness to verify the incident. You had the whole strike team out there.  The whole strike team was out there and the whole strike team, approximately you had four in the front, two in the front, two in the backseat and about three in the back of the pan of the pickup truck. …  They just said that I provoked the situation.  So I asked the police, if you provoke wahn man, that give you the right fi pull wahn gun atta you?  Come on man, I mi feel like wahn lee blackbird the man mi wahn kill, you know, because mi life was at stake and this da something serious.  Dis da something weh di man normally like do and nobody noh wahn come out and address dehn thing to the media because dehn afraid because of U.D.P.”