Friction between Minister Juan Coy and his campaigner

Juan Coy

Minister Juan Coy was suspended as a Minister of state for six months when he was accused of ordering the B.D.F. to allow contraband beer from Guatemala into Belize. That was last year; he has since been re-instated, but his troubles are far from over.  Last Sunday a verbal confrontation between Coy and a campaign worker led to police intervention and ended with charges against the campaigner.  Marion Ali has the details of the incident which occurred in Big Falls Village and which has left a bitter taste among the villagers.

Marion Ali, Reporting

Almost everyone who lives in Toledo probably knows Bartolo Teul in two regards – for being a conservation officer for over twenty years and more recently for campaigning for the now Minister of State, Juan Coy, leading up to the 2008 General Elections.  But since Coy got elected, things have not been all hunky-dory between the two.  Teul attended a public meeting on Sunday in Big Falls at which he said he raised legitimate concerns over Coy’s micromanaging in the area.

Bartolo Teul, charged with assaulting a police officer

“Like the issue with land, he was saying now the way they are issuing land it’s not like the way it used to be done in the previous administration where the area representative had to sign all application forms and then the forms go to the office, where the office is not doing its work and sometimes the applications get lost.  Now he said, I am taking the documents myself to Belmopan, and I opposed that.  I said well, I think that is even worse than what happened before.  Now you are personally getting involved in something that an office is set up for.”

But Teul said things reached boiling point and even a bit personal when he refused to shut up.

Bartolo Teul

“When I was raising these issues he stood up and demanded the microphone from me. I said please, when you were doing your presentation, which I think lasted between thirty to forty minutes nobody asked for the microphone, nobody interrupted you.  Kindly afford me that opportunity.  He did not, he insisted on give me the microphone.  I said I saw two microphones in the house.  Why don’t you ask for the other microphone? He got the other microphone from someone and started talking, even while I was talking.  And he mentioned something to the fact about “childish” and “little boy” and I reminded him then that it was not myself who was told to grow up to be a man and learn to do your job.  I told him after that it’s not personal, I really don’t have anything personal against you but you are attacking me and that is when he beckoned to police outside, come, take him out.”

The officers, who Teul claims were heavily armed, did escort him outside, and one allegedly pushed him.  But he says he is the one who ended up being charged for assault.

Bartolo Teul

Bartolo Teul

“I had already given the microphone to somebody and stepping outside when the police came and pushed me backwards, and then there is a drop on the cement flooring by the veranda and when I slipped back I held on to the police.  He said you assault me, I’m arresting you for assault.”

Teul faces two charges before the PG Magistrate’s Court – Assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest – charges he says were trumped up against him because he has several eyewitnesses who can attest to his innocence.  News Five has interviews of a couple of the villagers who attended the meeting.

Big Falls Resident #1

“Bartolo tell him wait, give me a chance to talk, I’m still commenting on what you were saying. He said give me a chance. All of a sudden I saw the minister get upset and he called the police from outside, Mangar, he did his fingers and signalled to Mangar to come and get the guy out. Bart said what did I do, I didn’t do anything. Mangar said don’t resist. Bartolo wasn’t resisting he was just saying I didn’t do anything. He said this is a democratic country so you have to give me a break to talk. Mangar was pushing Bartolo closer to the steps and Bartolo almost fell down the steps and then he was holding on one of the police.”

Big Falls Resident #2

“I was like one hand-reach from Bartolo because he was by the door. Juan Coy came out and he wanted to strong the mike from Bartolo and Bartolo told him we have two mike, use the next mike and answer my question. He didn’t want so he called the police and said take him from here. The minister instructed the police to take Bartolo from there. So I thought that they would just take Bartolo away from the site but when I look I see the struggle and pushing around and one of his slippers drop and he bent down to pick it up and they still push him. So I don’t know why Mangar is saying that he will charge him for resisting arrest, assault too and said mein right in front of me.”

But while Teul faces two misdemeanor charges, will he and Coy, who were once chummy pals, put differences aside?

Bartolo Teul

“There are some people who don’t like to be opposed or given constructive criticism and I’ve seen politicians, if you say things that they don’t want to hear they think you are from the other side.  I think that’s what happened.  This is not the first time that I have stood up publicly and addressed certain things that he is saying.”

Marion Ali

“This is no longer a man whom you would support hereafter?”

Bartolo Teul

“I’d really have to give that some strong consideration.”

In the meantime Teul has pleaded not guilty to the charges.  Marion Ali for News Five.

We thank Wil Maheia of Punta Gorda for providing us with the interviews from the residents.  While accusations were made against a police officer by his last name, News Five acknowledges that the case is before the court.