Chester Seeks Financial Aid to Cover Hotel Bill

Chester Williams

A staggering six-figure debt owed to Pedro’s Inn by the Belize Police Department remains unpaid and Commissioner of Police Chester Williams is turning to tourism stakeholders in San Pedro to help defray the hotel bill.  An increase in crime on the island town resulted in more officers being deployed to San Pedro, without adequate housing being an initial consideration in that decision.  Proprietor Peter Lawrence provided accommodation for the additional policemen and since then the department’s bill with Pedro’s Inn has ballooned to over a hundred thousand dollars.  Today, ComPol Williams said that all efforts will be made to cover the cost of the hotel stay.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“I had given instructions that the officers are to vacate immediately.  I have been told reliably and I do very well believe that there are still officers staying at Pedro’s Inn.  I have since had that discussion with Mr. Noble and from what he has since said to me, is that the proprietor has agreed to house the officers for free until they could find somewhere else.  So if it is that he, being nice and housing them for free for a little while until you can find somewhere else, I am grateful for that.  As a matter of fact, Mr. Peter Lawrence is a very outstanding businessman and he has worked extremely well with the police in San Pedro, even assisting with renovating the police station.  So he’s not a bad person.  If it is that he is clamoring for his payment that we owe him, as I said before, we owe di man, we have to pay ahn, okay.  We’re not going to be like those malpagos and don’t want to pay our bills and it will not look good on us.  So the bill will be paid.”

Isani Cayetano

“Isn’t that a different tone from what you took last Monday though.  Correct me if I’m wrong.”

Chester Williams

“I guess Channel Five still don’t get it.  I said last week Monday that we have wracked up a bill and the man is a businessman and he must be paid.  Isn’t that what I said?”

Reporter

“You said sir, that it had to be shared, that you might pay half ah it but you noh wahn pay a hundred thousand dollars.”

Chester Williams

“I did not say half.  I said that I am going to meet with the other stakeholders, the town council, B.T.B., the San Pedro chapter and we’re going to see how we can pay the bill, but the bottom line is the man has to be paid.”