N.T.U.C.B. says no to political interference with police officer
Sharmane Young
A recent incident on San Pedro that resulted in a police corporal’s transfer after arresting an unruly U.S. national has prompted reaction from the National Trade Union Congress of Belize. Minister of Tourism Manuel Heredia admitted to News Five on Wednesday that he asked for the transfer of Corporal Sharmane Young from San Pedro even before the arrest of US national Liza Marie Mertz and that he had called the Commissioner of Police and his deputy to get Mertz bail. The N.T.U.C.B. condemned the action, saying it is, “political interference, inhibiting the legitimate work of our trained law enforcement personnel….this type of political misstep will not to be tolerated.” The N.T.U.C.B. demanded that the transfer of corporal Young be rescinded. The union says it is also concerned because it has received information that four other police officers are in a similar situations of transfer due to political interference. Here’s what the minister had to say when he firmly reiterated his position to the media on Wednesday.
Jose Sanchez
“It is alleged that as a result of your intervention, this officer was transferred from the island.”
Manuel Heredia
Manuel Heredia, Minister of Tourism
“And I will make no apologies; that indeed for a few months before that, I had asked Mr. Aragon and I think the Commissioner, if they can transfer this officer elsewhere because she was not performing in the best possible manner that she is supposed to. When she arrived on the island, she was the best of the best I believe that we had had as a person in charge of the Tourism Police, but after that, I personally saw that was not performing to the best. And I won’t go in details as to say what has been happening, but I had asked for her to be transferred. And rightly they said that we would have to find somebody to substitute for her and otherwise, probably if they had done what I was asking—not really demanding—in the best interest of the tourism industry, this wouldn’t have occurred right.”
I am sick of politicians such as Manuel, behaving like they running their own personal fiefdom in Belize and in this case San Pedro. Again the officer is only doing her job; have we sold our own dignity and integrity as police officers to the mighty tourism $? What happen to the rule of law? It is no wander that McAffe and the like feel like they can do what they want…i tell you we live in a failed state.
But Mr Aragon has to comply with Min. Heredia, which is a gesture for giving him thanks for all that prime Land given to him in San Pedro by Minister Heredia, and not least to say, that the Commissioner is similarly heading that way….
Sometimes in belize i wonder how hard we bark with no common sense. If in belize city there is a standard of crime that is tolerated then that is your decision and you cry wolf there, San Pedro is for us who live here and contribute by working and paying our taxes that believe me with the 100 milllion in revenue every year every district gets a piece of it and we in san pedro along with the businesss community work hard for it. We apppreciaate our eleective representative to defend our security andd interest andd if a police officer or officers are not doing their job well then ABSOLUETELY we need to change them. Dictating us what to accept when we knowthat we do not acceppt the standard of policemen is our perrogative because only we here in the island know who will suffer when our industry and island gets ridden with drugs and gangs from the mainland, increase in crimes because police officers are not doing their job well.. NOT ACCEPPTABLE.. and the worst part is that we do not want to acceppt that tourism is sustaing this ecconomy at the moment…BRAVO mr. minister for standinng for your constituents and everyone in san pedro knows that we need real professional policemen with education training in handling tourists to be able to sustain and compete.NTUCB, please start by condemning the level of education in our schools that has dropped in acadeemic performance dismally during the past years.. we ass citizenss need to demand better and not get what is given to us and be conformists.
Reynaldo Guerrrero would make a great tourism minister in SP.. He is educated,eloquent, smart, and has a business degree with lots of experience. And I believe he was born in SP.
While i sympathize with the lady officer, sometimes police officers act really badly in small situations. There was no need for excessive force and she has a bad temper and terrible attitude. As for the NTUCB saying this will not be tolerated, what can they do except talk bloody big? They have no tooth. Instead of growing, the umbrella union is shrinking in membership and getting weaker. Instead of officers fighting for foreign trips they should concentrate on training
Karla…it is PREROGATIVE not perrogative!!!!!
Karla you dont know what your saying so keep your mouth close the whole ministry is corrupted and worst Min. Heredia Police have the power to arrest any 1 who commits a crime or offense in their presents
Belize is where it is due to poor leadership! There is also political interference with every branch of government including the judicial system! The sad part is this happens on both sides of the isle in the House. This is why we have so much problems in our little country.
No sooner these guys win an election they become all wise and all knowing. They get involved with things they have no knowledge about.
Sad to see that a Minister is willing to kiss a Foreigner’s @$$. He should be removed from cabinet because he has no backbone.
It is common knowledge that the majority of our police officers have no idea what performing their duties in a professional manner means. They have neither the training, education or social skills to do so. Yes, their are a few that understand professionalism and act accordingly but anyone who has had the misfortune having to deal with the police will understand and agree with what I am saying. Tourist or local, it doesn’t matter. Police officers must act with professionalism.
“this wouldn’t have occurred right.” I am confused. Is Mr. Heredia saying that had that police officer been transferred this “eye-ball” tourist and income earner (diver with tourist of her own) would not have been caught with illegal drugs and arrested? Is he saying that had someone else been there then perhaps that other person would turn a blind eye to enforcing the law?