Two New Police Stations to be Constructed in Rural Toledo
The Government of Belize is preparing to construct two new police stations in the Toledo East constituency. Earlier this week, Osmond Martinez, the C.E.O. in the Ministry of Economic Development, the Commissioner of Police Chester Williams and Area Representative Mike Espat visited Bella Vista and Trio villages to assess the needs of these communities where security and safety is concerned. In Bella Vista Village, where a small police substation already exists, it was agreed that the community is in need of a new police station that would be able to house several officers. In Trio Village, the same was decided. Here is more from that visit in the south.
Osmond Martinez
Osmond Martinez, C.E.O., Ministry of Economic Development
“We are here exploring the opportunities to establish a police station in Bella Vista under the CABEI Funds. As such, ComPol was here along with the Area Representative Mike Espat, the chairlady of the village and also our engineers from the Belize Integral Security Program which is funded by CABEI. The police station that Bella Vista has is a relatively small police station. It was built in the past when the village was small and there was not any village around Bella Vista. Now, when you look at Bella Vista it went up from eight hundred persons to almost ten thousand. That is the population.”
Chester Williams
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“We are looking at the expansion of police services within this area. As you would know that the Bella Vista area has expanded tremendously and the one man station we do have here is not serving the people of this village as much as we would want them to be served where citizen security is concerned. So, we are looking at expanding our services in Bella Vista to put a police station with all amenities as is a sub formation within this area. So the chairlady has discussed with us that this area we are currently standing on is a green area for the village council and she is donating the area for police. Once we can get the processed documents through the Ministry of Natural Resources then we intend to meet with the Banana Growers Association, the National Gas Company, and find ways to see if they will be able to contribute to the construction of the police station. Then we are also looking at CABEI.”
Michael Espat
Michael Espat, Area Representative, Toledo East
“So, after completing that area, we are now in the village of Trio where we have been getting some negative reports, bad behavior of some of the people in this area and hence the need to put a police station. So, that is what they also decided today’s elected an area along the main highway, coming into this village that they will construct a new police station also with housing for two police officers.”
