“No Further Negotiation”: Perez on Caye Caulker Police Station Dispute

Belize Rural South Area Representative Andre Perez has shut down further discussions on the controversial Caye Caulker police station site. In his latest statement today, Perez said there will be “no further negotiation” following government consultations.

“Following consultations between the Prime Minister, the Caye Caulker Village Council, the Minister of Home Affairs and the Hon. Andre Perez, the matter of the new police station was formalised, and the community has been informed,” he said, adding, “As consultations have concluded, there will be no further negotiation,” he said, adding that he will support the project while addressing community concerns.

Perez said he will support the project while addressing community concerns.

The announcement comes after weeks of intense backlash from islanders, including UDP senator Gabriel Zetina on Wednesday. Zetina accused Perez of misleading residents and lacking transparency and argued that public protest forced the issue out.

“If the people of Caye Caulker, if they would have not stand up, rise together, took to the street protest, you best believe, PUP would have sold that land,” Zetina said.

Caye Caulker’s council also launched a petition last Friday to trigger a referendum on the land’s future, urging residents to “save the police station as a community”.

“Basically we are listening to the concerns and what the village of Caye Caulker wants. They want the police station to proceed…. And as such we decided that we will move forward and construction will resume,” Perez told News 5.