Commissioner of Police: Order will prevail election day
And as voters go to the polls to cast their ballots this Wednesday, the security forces are planning for an incident free Election Day. Commissioner of Police, Gerald Westby, says his department will be out in full force to ensure that no one breaks the law particularly with respect to three areas of concern.
Gerald Westby, Commissioner of Police
“I would like to bring to the attention of the general public statutory instrument number thirty-five of 2009 which prohibits the carrying, use or discharge of firearms in any public place a hundred yards from any polling station or counting station. This does not apply to members of the Belize Police Department, the Belize Defence Force and any other public officer who is on official duty and is duly authorized in writing by the commissioner of police.”
“I would also like to bring to the attention of the general public, statutory instrument number thirty-three of 2009 which deals with the sale of liquor on election day. In the pass the liquor premises were restricted and must remain closed from seven in the morning during polling during polling to six p.m. in the evening. This new statutory instrument has extended the hours for remaining closed until after the counting is completed. The law also increases the penalty from not exceeding two hundred and fifty dollars to not exceeding two thousand dollars if any liquor premises is found open. This applies to any premises that sells liquor; restaurant, shop, once they sell liquor they must remain closed until after the counting is completed. The police will then make an announcement when they can reopen their business. I would like to reassure all Belizeans that the police will be out there in numbers including all senior officers to ensure that law and order is maintained and also to enforce these two statutory instruments. We will not allow anyone to carry firearms within the polling and counting stations and we’ll also be vigilant that these business places that sell liquor remain closed.”
If the projection of some election analysts are right that the final tally for some Town Councils will not be until the wee hours of Thursday morning, brace up for a dry period.
