And in other news, former Commissioner of Police Chester Williams got a retroactive reversal today when the Belize Advisory Council set aside the high profile dismissal of a police officer. That was DeAndre Reid, the constable who was on duty at the Governor General's house when he shot and killed her dog - which was acting aggressively.
Now there may be debate about whether the officer acted properly, but the Belize Advisory Council has allowed his appeal of the Commissioner's decision to dismiss him. The Advisory Council allowed the appeal, and concluded that there were significant breaches of due process and natural justice in Reid's disciplinary proceedings. They note that he was denied the required 5-day response period and 7-day notice before the hearing, as mandated under the Police Department's Disciplinary Policy.
Today we asked Chester if he messed up - but you probably already know the answer to that one:
Jules Vasquez
"You messed up. Are you prepared to say my bad?"
Chester Williams, CEO - Transport
"Jules, I know that you like, these kind of things. They make they they increase your testosterone level. Right? But I'm going to bring it down back for you."
"Okay? I don't like, like when it's too high."
"Yeah. Again, I want to to reiterate my, my position that every decision that is made is subject to some degree of scrutiny. And that's the reason why we have appellate jurisdictions."
"So I, I'm not surprised or I should not feel a way that a decision I made was overturned. While I do accept what the Advisory Council did, may I say that they said in their letter "several breaches", but they only cited one."
Jules Vasquez
"Two, the lack of two adequate notices."
Chester Williams, CEO - Transport
"Same thing. Come up to the same thing."
"In law, there is what you referr to as mandatory rules and directory rules."
"The notices in the disciplinary rules are not mandatory. Those are directory rules. And so a breach of those rules should not have rendered the results of the tribunal null and void. If you notice that the Advisory Council did not touch anything else in terms of the the process of the tribunal. And, to say that the commissioner's decision in, upping the penalty and dismissed was wrong. They didn't go down that road, they based their decision based simply on the fact that these two, directory rules were not followed."
"It sets bad precedence. Nonetheless, I am guided and respected and respect the Advisory Council position. As I've said before, I have absolutely nothing against the policeman. D'Andre Reid came from a very good family. I know his mother personally. She's a very good friend."
Jules Vasquez
"Maybe she was."
Chester Williams, CEO - Transport
"She still is my friend. We are very good friends still. This does not tear us apart. She's, a very godly person. She. She's a person who lives in the church. So she have good principles. She's not like you who hold malice Mr. Vasquez. Right? So we continue to be friends so I am happy for him."
Jules Vasquez
"Sir. Is it because the head of state was involved that that that this was urgently dealt with and summarily dealt with by you?"
Chester Williams, CEO - Transport
"Again, you stretch it too far."
Jules Vasquez
"But it says that the notices were not observed."
Chester Williams, CEO - Transport
"Hello? Hello. You asked me a question. Let me answer you."
Jules Vasquez
"Okay sir."
Chester Williams, CEO - Transport
"If you have the answer then stop ask question."
Jules Vasquez
"But you di answer wrong, so I am trying to correct you."
Chester Williams, CEO - Transport
"No no no no, I am not answering what you want me to answer. Now, I was not the one who issued notice, so to say dealt with by me?"
"No. I was not the one who instituted charges. I came into the picture after the tribunal was completed. The file must come to me to finalize the decision of the adjudicator. As the Commissioner the Police act gives me the authority then to up the penalty. I chose based on the evidence presented before the tribunal, that the decision of the adjudicator was too lenient."
"Considering the circumstances of what took place, and it has nothing to do with the fact that it was the GG. it could have been your dog."
