On Monday's newscast, we told you about the latest developments in one of the court battles between Police Corporal Eldon Arzu and his boss, Police Commissioner Chester Williams.
Justice Westmin James has ruled that an amendment that Williams made to the Police Association rules cannot be used to retroactively stop Arzu from serving as the Chairman of the Board. That's one of the complaints that Arzu made against the Commissioner in his lawsuit, which he filed back in 2019. According to Arzu, in the January 2019 elections, his slate won 4 seats to serve on the Police Association's Central Board. His opponent, Inspector Jane Usher, won 3. The 7-member board agreed that Arzu should serve as the Chairman once again. But, he claims that the Commissioner enforced an amendment he made to the Police Association's constitution that no Chairman can serve more than 2 terms in office. Arzu's first chairmanship began back in 2013, and so, he complains that the Commissioner sought to make it retroactive, which meant that Arzu couldn't serve in 2019.
He claims that the Commissioner did everything he could to block his leadership using the retroactivity of this amendment, and information to 7News is that after considering the issue, Justice James found that the amendment should not be applied in this manner.
Arzu also complains in his lawsuit that after the Commissioner effectively stripped him of his leadership using this amendment, he re-assigned him away from the Police Association. Arzu didn't comply, and so, 5 weeks of his pay was allegedly withheld because he didn't show up to his new post.
Arzu strongly believes that this retroactivity issue was an important win for his case. But, not so for the Compol. When the topic came up at today's Police Press Conference in Belmopan, Commissioner Chester had a testy back-and-forth with the press:
Chester Williams - Commissioner of Police "I don't know which ruling you are talking about. When Mr Arzu had applied to the court for an injunction to prevent the new association from taking office, the court said to him, we are not going to entertain you and threw that out. You all didn't make an issue of that, that's a major victory but that went under the table. Now because the court said that legislation, we all know is lawful, you all making a big issue out that? What is the celebration? What's the hooray? Let's wait for the court to determine the full matter. The trail is set for next year February and we see how the matter goes. I still believe whatever decision we took, was the right one and the court will determine that."
Reporter "When the justice made the ruling is to the fact that the SI that was signed in January 2019, where they put a cap on the number of years anyone can serve as police association president and it cannot be retroactive."
Chester Williams "We know that but the court ruling is not something we already know, we know that and that's why I want to know what is the celebration about. Mr. Arzu remains on the seat as the chairman until elections were held, he allowed to run again the other election, what is the issue? You all are trying to create mountains out of mould."
So, as you heard, the Commissioner insisted that he already knew that the amendment couldn't be retroactive. Well, the Arzu camp released a document which they say proves that he acted contrary to the position he asserted this evening.
It's an internal memo from 2019 which says, quote, " Please be informed that Corporal Eldon Arzu is not authorized and should be allowed to conduct any business on behalf of the Police Association" End quote.
