No Invitation to Chester for Former Commissioners’ Lunch

Interim Home Affairs Minister Julius Espat is leaning on experience as he pushes for changes inside the Belize Police Department. This week, he brought together a group of former police commissioners for a working lunch, a kind of brain trust to help outline the way forward. But one familiar name was not at the table: Chester Williams, the immediate past Commissioner of Police and now a government C.E.O. His absence stood out, especially given his years at the helm of the department. So today, we asked Williams why he was not part of that meeting.

 

Shane Williams

“Why weren’t you at the meeting yesterday with the Minister of Home Affairs and former commissioners?”

 

Chester Williams, Former Commissioner of Police

“I can’t answer that question. I don’t know why I can’t answer. I was made aware of the meeting when I saw it on the news and people sent it to me but I was not aware of it. Perhaps it’s an oversight but I was not aware of the meeting, no.”

 

Shane Williams

“Do you feel you have more that you could contribute to the police department if being asked?”

 

Chester Williams

“Of course, if I am asked, there’s a lot that I can contribute. At the end of the day, I am a Belizean and I want to see the police department progress in the right direction. And I’ve said to the interim minister that if he ever needs me for anything, I am available. He can reach out to me. So I don’t think that my absence yesterday has anything to do with – other than the fact that maybe an oversight because the Minister Espat and myself do have a very close and cordial relationship. So if I need something from Ministry of infrastructure, I can always call on him and he’s always willing to assist. And I’ve said to him, if you need to tap into my knowledge at any time as he hold over the Ministry of Home Affairs, I am available to him as well.”

 

Chester Williams is the longest serving Commissioner of Police, with more than six years under his belt.

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

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