By all outward indications the CARICOM Conference followed by the meeting of the Heads of State and Government of CARICOM and the Central American Integration System were smashing successes. The dignitaries endlessly complimented Belize on organizing and running the vents with precision, efficiency and class. And that included the security forces, dozens of police, BDF and Coast Guard working in sync to deliver a smooth operation of endless motorcades ad movements.
But, there was one major SNAFU - and embarrassment - and we're not talking about the moment when police tried to wrest away Cherisse Halsall's phone and pushed our camera man out of the conference venue.
That was something else, but nothing even close to an incident that has two cops in jail tonight. They were allegedly involved in a gun being fired on the sea in front of San Pedro Town which is a strict and sterile area. But, they compromised all that when the sound of a gun was heard at the height of the night.
The Commissioner told us more about it today:
Chester Williams - Commissioner of Police
"Wednesday morning that the sound of gunshots were heard coming from the sea in the vicinity of Grand Caribe where the summit was being held and simultaneously police saw a vessel in the same direction where the shots were heard coming from. The police team responded and intercepted the vessel and on board that vessel was sergeant pop and PC Kingston, both who are assigned to the anti narcotics unit and a civilian. A search of the vessel, firearms were found and they admitted to discharging weapons stating that they were test firing them. I don't understand why they would go test fire weapons in an area like that which they know was sterile because these officers were also involved in the security at this summit. So, based on that the officers and the civilian were charged and they appeared before the court, they plead not guilty and they are currently remanded at prison."
