So what will happen on Friday? Well we're not sure how it will go in the Chamber, but we do know that the police will be ready for all contingencies on the outside. At a press conference today, the Commissioner disclosed that three groups have applied for a permit to demonstrate on Friday in Belmopan. Those three groups: the PUP, the UDP, and the VIP have signed the $5,000 bond. The Commissioner said the right to protest is important, but so is the maintenance of public order.
Gerald Westby, Commissioner of Police
"All eyes are on Belmopan for Friday. I must say Belize has had a very fine tradition of democracy where people have a right to protest but equally
Belize has had a foundation of our democracy as being on the rule of law and certainly the security forces are preparing to maintain order out there on Friday and we are confident that order will be maintained and that is what I have to say in respect of that but we are preparing and ensure that order will be maintained out there on Friday.
Definitely we will be having designated places and the commanders on the ground will be assign these designated places and the bonds are quite specific as to the designated areas."
Jacqueline Woods, News 5
"So we should expect to see the riot squad out there?
Gerald Westby,
"Well we do not want to go into details but we do have public order teams but we will determine when to deploy and when not to deploy. But certainly rest assured that we are prepared to maintain order out there on Friday."
