Last week, the leaders of the police association broke out into the media mainstream with unprecedented candor and defiance - and when we left you last night, the association had been dismantled and those leaders were on interdiction facing disciplinary charges.
Justice - if you can call it that - was swift, deliberate and, a tad cruel.
This morning the minister of National Security explained that it is what had to be done:..
Hon. John Saldivar, Minister of Police
"I don't know if it's about speaking out for the police officers. Our position is clear - the police act as well as the constitution of Belize forbids police officers and members of the discipline forces which includes the Coast Guard and the BDF from belonging to unions or from carrying any union type activity. So that is our position and so we believe that what the association and others are lobbying for in terms of giving them full industrial relations rights is just not allowable under the constitution and the police act."
Daniel Ortiz
"Sir, bit they have simply just come out and explain that certain transfers were rushed through. I mean they have not agitated for any industrial action."
Hon. John Saldivar, Minister of Police
"I imagine that when you call for the head of the commissioner and you publicly state that he is incompetent - that is allowable and that should be allowed from officers who under his command? You have difficulty with that? I do."
Geovanni Brackett, reporter
"Sir, how do you respond and say that the act is antiquated and that in this modern society unions and police are allowed to join unions in other parts of the world. Would you consider changing the law to give more democracy to the association?"
Hon. John Saldivar, Minister of Police
"People may be astonish by this - but I don't know about any uniform force, any army that has the type of democracy which the rest of us enjoy. When you are in the army you are under the command of their commanding officer. You have to admit that the difficulties which a country would go through if police officers and discipline forces would allow to go on strike. Who will guard us? Who will take care of our security?"
Daniel Ortiz
"But sir would you not agree with me that they police association exist only at the leisure of the commissioner of police. I mean if the commissioner of police really doesn't care about what their concerns - they have no rights and no say. Is that allowable that our police officers should be undefended?"
Hon. John Saldivar, Minister of Police
"No, that's not allowable and there is a mechanism in place for them to deal with their issues and that mechanism to my mind especially with myself as the minister has been working and I have the evidence to show you that we have been in dialogue with the association and many of their concerns have been address and are continuing to be address. There is a mechanism for that to happen without prejudicing the order and good discipline within the department."
Daniel Ortiz
"Sir, have any of the transfers that the association have said that their members have complain - have any of them can you confirm been stand down?"
Hon. John Saldivar, Minister of Police
"I can confirm categorically that many of the persons who we have intended to transfer upon appeal to the commissioner their transfers have been cancelled."
For the record, they never referred to Commissioner Henderson as "incompetent" on this station.
But, does it even matter anymore? Late information to 7news is that both sides have, essentially, kissed and made up: the tribunal has been aborted; the interdiction is over; they can return to work as per normal; and the Association with all its privileges has been restored.
Bombshell, right? We are told this will be confirmed in a press release - but the understanding we have gotten is that both sides have agreed to proceed in dialogue rather than confrontation.
We don't know what this does for the NTUCB which remains steadfastly in support of Corporal Eldon Arzu, Sergeant Edlin Lorenzo, and the Police Association.
Secondly, Minister Saldivar said that he knows of no uniformed force which is allowed to join unions. 7News has been researching this matter, and we've found the Jamaican Police Federation. According to its official website, and it's Facebook page, the JPF is quote, "a union representing police officers in Jamaica from the ranks of Constable through to Inspector."
We even contacted members of the executive from the Federation in Jamaica, and they were able to confirm to us that they are a fully-fledged union. They enjoy all the rights and privileges of any union body made of members any other work-class sector.
