Is ComPol Williams Really Leaving So Soon?
Chester Williams
Is Commissioner of Police Chester Williams headed to pre-retirement leave at the beginning of December? It’s a question that was buzzing this morning, following a meeting with the senior command of the Belize Police Department on Monday. When we caught up with him this morning, we were sure to follow up on that lead and, being as evasive as he often can, the ComPol told us that it was all a ruse to get the senior officers talking. But was it really a ploy or is there any truth to the commissioner demitting office before the end of the year? Here’s how he puts it.
Isani Cayetano
“ComPol, I have it on fairly good grounds that you have applied for pre-retirement leave to take place in the early part of December. Can you speak to a confirmation of this application or is this just talk that’s out there in the air?”
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“I don’t know how I could apply for pre-retirement leave at such a young age. I am far from being fifty-five and one retires at fifty-five. But, again, when you want to find out things and find out who is leaking information that should not be leaked, you say things in certain people’s presence to see what they are going to say. And yes indeed, yesterday, I made mention in our conference that I had applied for early retirement and that is not the case. I just did it to see who would have run with it and so thought, so happened that someone ran with it and went to the media. Again, this goes to show that senior police officers who should learn to keep things confidential are not keeping things confidential and that is one of the problems that we have in the public service that needs to be addressed. So, to answer your question, I ain’t going nowhere. So I am sorry to disappoint the person who gave you the information.”
Isani Cayetano
“So you have a couple more years under your belt then as the Commissioner of Police, until and unless moved otherwise. Where do you stand in terms of any other pursuits that you may be interested in?”
Chester Williams
“Well I do have in mind to eventually leave the police department and venture into other things, but I am still looking at certain things before I make my move. I don’t intend to remain commissioner until I am fifty-five, that is too long. And so, I do have other aspirations and whenever I see the right time then I’m going to make the move. Until then, I remain where I am.”
Isani Cayetano
“One of the natural questions to follow that is whether you would be interested in entering party politics.”
Chester Williams
“Well, the Mesopotamia Division looks good.”
