Reporters caught up with Commissioner of Police Chester Williams earlier today. He was asked if police have established a motive for the shooting. ComPol Williams explained that the accused claims that the family tried to poison him and that his claims are still being investigated. ComPol Williams also revealed that investigators have gathered surveillance footage from the market that is proving to be helpful.
Chester Williams
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“Police have interviewed a number of persons in respect to that matter and we are trying to see how we can come up with a definitive motive. From what we have gathered so far from persons who were in the immediate area when the shooting happened is that the accused person arrived at the market, had a discussion with the family who he eventually targeted, where he accused them of allegedly poisoning him. We have also learnt that the victims had rented a house as the accused do owns an Airbnb rental and the victims had rented a house from him for a period of six months. They left that house in January and moved to the Agua Viva area. He was saying that at the time when they rented that house, they were trying to poison him and that is why they were targeted. We are still trying to put the pieces together. We have gathered several statements and we have obtained some video footages that is helping the investigation pretty good. So, the accused was immediately detained by the police and the weapon used was also detained by police. So we have a good case going forward.”
Paul Lopez
“Do you know how long the detainee was living in Belize?”
Chester Williams
“He was here for quite a number of years, from 2010 to 2011 thereabout, because a check of our records shows he got a gun license in 2012. So he would have had to be here before 2012.”
ComPol Williams also questioned why the perpetrator in the Belmopan Market double murder would target children. He contended that if the accused had an issue with the parents, then the children should have been left alone. Here is how he puts it.
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“It is not a mass shooting. It is a rather unfortunate incident and when I look at the video it irks me because if it is that you had an issue with the parents, if you were saying the parents were trying to poison you, why go after the children? It shows clearly that having shot the woman he pursued the child all the way to a bathroom. What could a child do to you. If you have an issue with the parents, then let it be there. It is sad. But, again, it happened and we as the police need to make sure we put the pieces together to make sure justice is served.”
A man was knocked down and killed in Belize City this afternoon. The incident happened at the entrance of the Philip Goldson Highway near the bus stop. The incident happened around two while Ishmarley Clarke was driving a motorcycle heading from the direction of Belize City towards the A and R Store. A van was reportedly traveling behind him and was overtaking his motorcycle when it knocked him down. Clarke suffered severe injuries and was pronounced dead on arrival at the K.H.M.H.
On Friday, attorney Orson “OJ” Elrington was arraigned on a charge of rape, several weeks after two women filed reports with the Belize Police Department alleging that they were sexually assaulted by Elrington after a night of partying on the entertainment strip in Belize City. Earlier today, Opposition Leader Shyne Barrow commented briefly on the matter during an appearance on Open Your Eyes. According to Barrow, he has since spoken with Elrington in the wake of the charge that has been brought against him.
Shyne Barrow
Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
“I wished him the best and, you know, I hope that justice prevails. We hope that he gets justice and if he’s innocent we hope that he gets justice and if he’s not, then we hope that the victims get justice.”
Isani Cayetano
“In the first instance he stepped down as legal counsel to the UDP, but on March sixth, he was in San Pedro functioning on behalf of the party during the municipals. How does the United Democratic Party now view this development in respect of Mr. Elrington?”
Shyne Barrow
“He has a relationship with the standard bearer in Belize Rural South, San Pedro. He actually has an office out there. So he was out there working with his colleague, but he has no official role in the party. That official function of the party stopped months ago when these allegations came about. So he’s not an official of the party… We condemn rape, we condemn violence against women. That remains and we take this very seriously and we encourage all of our colleagues to be very careful so that they don’t find themselves in these positions.”
We have not had an opportunity to ask him for a comment on the ruling since the High Court handed down its verdict in the Oscar Selgado case. But today, News Five asked the Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams for his perspective on the historic conviction of an attorney who was found guilty based solely on testimonial evidence when the material evidence all mysteriously disappeared. Williams himself was called to testify, having listened to audio recordings of conversations between Selgado and a civilian who he had hired to kill a woman. The audio recordings went missing, and Williams was called to testify in that regard.
Chester Williams
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“As police officers, we owe a duty to the state to ensure that we execute our duties to the best of our ability. And the matter involving Mr Selgado was one that there were certain facts within my knowledge. Even though I was not within the pool of witnesses to be called, but the minute the main witness decided to not show because he felt fearful, then the DPP had to invoke the witness for fear provision. Then my presence becomes necessary and based on that, I had to do a statement. I had listened to the tapes that went missing. I knew what some of the contents were and I just reduced those to a statement. And then I was called to the court to testify. And I told the court the truth, what I knew of what transpired and what were the facts within my knowledge as it relates to the tapes that went missing.”
Stevedores who have since last Friday been showing up to work but not working today returned to the Port of Belize compound and got into work full throttle in anticipation of a meeting between their union, the Christian Workers’ Union and Prime Minister John Briceño. This morning, the dock workers showed up to the compound but stood outside instead, demanding that the PM meet with their union representatives today to discuss their compensation package for the loss of wages they suffered when the government decided to send bulk sugar to the Big Creek Port instead of the P.B.L. port. That meeting with the PM wasn’t forthcoming today, but Deputy Prime Minister, Cordel Hyde sat in with the C.W.U. President, Leonora Flowers over the lunch hour and by mid-afternoon, they had realized what she later told the media was a breakthrough. News Five’s Marion Ali was out in the grueling sun from morning to get the different sides and filed this report.
Marion Ali, Reporting
Stevedores assembled in front of their Port of Belize workplace, but while they were not working, they did not call their action a strike. That is because in order for them to declare a strike, they would have had to give PBL a twenty-one day notice of strike action. Earlier in the morning, the police removed a bicycle that belonged to one of the stevedores from in front of the gate where it was parked and it created a moment of unease. But the matter was quickly diffused. The stevedores were outside their workplace insisting that the Prime Minister meet with them today. Their union President, Leonora Flowers explained why they had assembled in front of the compound.
Leonora Flowers
Leonora Flowers, President, Christian Workers’ Union
“The gentlemen have come out because there has been some talk of the Port sending out stevedores to work or sending the BDF or the police, so the gang members are not too pleased with that information. So we’re out there. But, more than all, we’re trying to say to the government, look, it is time for us to get back around the table. Provide what you’re going to provide so we can accept, so we can move on. We’ve also gotten an offer Informal or unofficially that the prime minister will meet with us on Monday No, we are saying to the prime minister and his government Monday is way too long if this is really important if it is as important to the country as you say it is Monday is way too long.”
The stevedores want to return to the table with the Prime Minister to discuss an initial figure of four point nine million dollars as compensation for their loss of wages when bulk sugar started to be shipped to the Big Creek Port for export instead of the Port of Belize Limited.
Leonora Flowers
“I won’t put a figure on it until we discuss then, because they wanted to put a figure on it, but tied to other things. We don’t want it tied to anything else. Don’t tie it to the CBA. Don’t negotiate the CBA through the sugar money. Please don’t do that to us. That is what we have rejected.”
Port of Belize C.E.O., Arturo Vasquez called the media into the compound to explain their side of the dispute.
Arturo Vasquez
Arturo Vasquez, C.E.O., Port of Belize Limited
“Mr. Middleton in particular came and he asked us that he wants to work in good faith today. He told us that we didn’t ask for it. He said we will work in good faith and in return. He has agreed with the prime Minister that they, that he will meet on Monday with him. I was not aware of that. So I actually called the prime minister on the phone and on that telephone call, Mr. Middleton and the Prime Minister agreed that they will work today in good faith. And in return, he will meet with them on Monday. That’s where we were. We were prepared to come back to work, walks in the president. And she says that was never the agreement. And that’s where everything fall apart here, guys.”
Vasquez said there are significant losses involved with at least a couple ships turning back.
Arturo Vasquez
“Since Friday we have been having this problem where no boats have been worked on. We have been trying to solve this problem with the CWU. We have written them emails on Friday, on Saturday, and yesterday. We have never had a response to it. The email is basically asking the CWU to tell us what their position is as to whether it’s a position by the CWU or it’s a position by the current gang. We never got a response.”
But during the lunch hour, Flowers met with Deputy Prime Minister, Cordel Hyde and returned with news to the stevedores this afternoon that they accepted.
Leonora Flowers
“Not happy as yet but pleased to report that there’s been a breakthrough. We return to work the ship at six this evening. The gang is going in this evening and then we have accepted that the PM meets with us on Monday morning.”
Marion Ali
“What’s the breakthrough?”
Leonora Flowers
“The breakthrough is that we were able to have a discussion with the deputy prime minister and he impressed upon the team and the stevedores that let’s say, Let’s give peace a chance. Let’s we bend over back a little bit more and he will try and work with us.”
Marion Ali
“What assurances were given? The stevedores left saying they’re returning to work. He must have said something that they agreed with.
Leonora Flowers
“No, I won’t disclose anything else. I wouldn’t say that he did. He didn’t go overboard. He indicated that he’s willing, he’s going to try his very best to get the stevedores what is rightfully theirs and what we have been trying to get for a while. That’s as much as I can say.”
The Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams was also on the ground to ensure that the peace was being kept while the stevedores made their displeasure known.
Chester Williams
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“I just came to get a briefing from…Mr Grinage, who I have tasked to be on the ground since yesterday as well as to get an appreciation of what is taking place on the ground. The police are just here to ensure that law and order is maintained. We don’t ascribe to a confrontational style of policing, but we do understand that the port has a responsibility to the Belizean people, and there are people who are depending on their cargo to come out of the port.”
Those cargo ships are now being offloaded while others are being prepared with export goods. Marion Ali for News Five.
On Friday, Prime Minister John Briceño presented his administration’s budget for the upcoming fiscal year. The financial plan for 2024/2025 has allocated one point four three billion dollars for government’s expenditures in the next cycle. This morning, we asked Opposition Leader Shyne Barrow for a preliminary response to what has been presented in the House of Representatives. Here’s how he responded.
Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
“It’s more of the same. You look at different parliaments and, by the way, welcome to the Commonwealth Parliament Association, a delegation from the UK, they are here, members of the Labor Party and the Conservative Party are here and I‘ll be meeting with them. I believe they met with some of my other colleagues. But you look at different parliaments and governments across the globe who are grappling with inflation and they implement policies to deal with inflation. I don‘t see anything in the budget or did not hear anything in the budget speech or see anything in the budget items that is directly speaking to inflation and the highest cost of living which is critical. The quality of life for Belizeans, all governments must see to it that they work to improve it and we have not seen that from this government in any of the budgets. The only thing that stuck out to me which I have been saying for the past few years, I‘ve been advocating for healthcare and I‘ve been saying that the infrastructure budget should not be larger than the health budget. And so, I do concede that in this year‘s budget, finally the prime minister is listening to myself and other sober, objective minds and so the health budget is bigger than the infrastructure budget. And so, I hope to see, I know we have the CT-Scan here, I hope to see that the essentials that the public health officials have been crying for,I hope to see in this budget that those monies will go to providing all of the basic things.”
The Government of Belize has earmarked one million dollars to boost the Belize Police Department’s crime fighting strategy. This is apart from the annual budget allocated to the Ministry of Home Affairs. Today, Commissioner of Police Chester Williams explained that the monies will be used to increase the department’s technological capacity. Here is how he explained it.
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“We continue to look at modernizing the police and to police using technology and one of the things we are going to push on in the next financial year is to make sure that every police vehicle has a dash cam and not just a dash cam that shows what happens outside, but inside. So, it must have that dual focus for both in and out. We are also going to make sure that every police officer or as much as we can, has a bodycam. Often times there are allegations with police officers and we have seen where the bodycams can be used as either a shield or a sword. If it is that you are doing your duty the right way, then you would have no difficulty in ensuring that what is being done is captured on your bodycam. But If it is that you are going to be conducting your duty in such a way that you are not following process or procedures then you would not want the bodycam to capture. When we are looking at expanding our camera surveillance system, we are looking at he fingerprint system, so everything that has to do with technology to enhance policing is what we are going to do. The minister spoke about the issue of the field DNA testing, that is important for us especially in this era. If we have a sample where we can do the field DNA testing and it proves positive then we can send the sample to the lab to get that official result, that way it is going to eliminate the cost to send something to the DNA lab that may not comeback with a match.”
As part of the Police Department’s modernization and upgrade from the budget, Commissioner Williams explained that one of the areas that will also be enhanced has to do with securing and gathering evidence and testing, as well as being able to conduct DNA-testing.
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“We’ll be looking at expanding our camera surveillance system. We’re looking at the fingerprint system. So everything that has to do with technology to enhance policing is what we’re going to do. The minister spoke about the issue of DNA, the field DNA testing. That’s a very important thing for us, likewise especially in this area. If we have a sample, for example, where we can do the field DNA testing and it proves positive, then we can then send it, the sample, to the lab to get that official result. That way it’s going to eliminate the cost to send something to the DNA lab that may not come back with a match. So we’ll only be able to send those that we believe will have that match when the time comes. There’s a lot from information technology-wise that the ministry is pushing. All in a view to ensure that we can enhance the police department we, do appreciate the importance of the service that we provide to the Belizean people, and we want to make sure we do so in the most professional and expedient manner as we possibly can.”
Today, thirty-three-year-old Keyren Tzib, a former member of the Belize Coast Guard, was found Guilty of the attempted murder of former member of the coast guard Kurt Hyde, who was shot in the back of the head with an M16 rifle back in April 2015. The incident occurred while Hyde was operating a coast guard vessel on a journey from San Pedro to their Belize City headquarters. The bullet exited Hyde’s head and because of the injury, he has reportedly lost feeling in one side of his face. Tzib claims that the shooting was an accident, however, Justice Candace Nanton, who was overseeing the case, did not believe her statement and found Tzib guilty of attempted murder. While the crown objected heavily to bail being extended to Tzib, her attorney, Darrell Bradley, asked the court to take into consideration Tzib’s PTSD diagnosis, claiming that she is in no condition to be remanded to prison until her sentencing. As a result, Tzib was Justice Nanton granted Tzib bail in the sum of fifteen thousand dollars and three additional sureties of five thousand dollars each. The condition of the bail requires Tzib to undergo psychiatric evaluation, report to the Orange Walk Police station three times a week, and report to the High Court once a week until her sentencing on April twenty-sixth, 2024. She is also not to interfere with Hyde nor his family members.
