Commissioner of Police says contingency in place for anti-vaccine rebellion as Police Association invites Minister to intervene

Published by BBNTEAM at August 10, 2021

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Posted: Tuesday, August 10, 2021. 3:28 pm CST.

By Aaron Humes: Attorney Richard “Dickie” Bradley has written Minister of Home Affairs Kareem Musa on behalf of the Police Association, inviting him to intervene in a dispute with Police High Command over threats to send home officers who are not vaccinated and do not show up to work with a valid negative PCR test as of Monday.

As frontline workers, police are among those who must be vaccinated or clear of COVID-19 in order to work.

Bradley’s letter, dated August 6, says he has met with the Association concerning the Thursday evening instruction to send home those not in compliance.

The executive of the Association is asking that a further grace period to allow for vaccination is implemented and ask for a further meeting to chart the way forward.

As of Monday, Commissioner of Police Chester Williams says no officers have been sent home as reported from the northern districts and San Pedro Town.

But he does not expect, it added, that it will get to that stage, as most of the officers who have not been vaccinated are producing COVID test results.

Williams said the Department must lead by example and so he encourages – but is not mandating – that officers get vaccinated, or if not, be tested as required by law.

But if it does get to that point, then the Belize Defence Force, especially in Belize City, will be deployed to assist in street patrol. The BDF has had it’s own issues with vaccination but the numbers, like the Police’s have steadily risen.

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