And while he did give us an interview at the post march rally, one leader who didn't make it into the march was Belize Energy Workers Union President, Mark Butler. That's because he was detained by Hattieville Police. This morning he was on his way to Hattieville to pick up co-workers to participate in the demonstration when they were detained by village police. He told us why he was held and how he got out.
Mark Butler, BEWU President
"I was just heading to get some support from my fellow workers and I was giving them a little lift from Hattieville to Belize. As you know the bus system sometimes isn't reliable so I went up for a couple of my guys for us to come down and support the rally. I believe they already have my head marked as the President of the Belize Energy Worker's Union and I expect all these things here. From they saw me on the road I already knew they would either stop me and interrogate me or whatever so I didn't feel anyway about it. I already know I am clean and I don't have anything to do. I am just trying to get support and bring down my people and transport my people to rally for a just cause."
Dean Barrow,
"I was out by the Battlefield Park when some of the union members told me that Mr. Butler was being detained at Hattieville. The officer in charge, Christopher Noble, said he had received a report and information that some people were in a vehicle that contained instruments or implements that required some kind of police intervention. It turns out that Mr. Butler and 3 other union members were in a car that contained a rope and I believe cutting equipment. These are all electricians. In any case, I told him that there was no basis on which he could detain Mr. Butler, there was nothing illegal about any of these instruments. I mentioned the point again that unless you are investigating something, these people don't have to talk to you. Anyway I called the Commissioner of Police and I must say that he was very good in agreeing that there was absolutely no basis on which Mr. Butler could be held. I think the police have to be careful. In fairness to Mr. Noble, he says that he did not know who Mr. Butler was. But you can't be pulling over union leaders and in fact detaining them even though you say they are not officially in custody without any basis. This is the kind of thing that is calculated to inflame tensions."
And while Barrow as looking on, his party was absent from today's demonstration. Barrow told us it was planned that way because the Opposition did not want to taint the union's action's with a partisan imprint.
