BELIZE CITY, Fri. July 17, 2020– On June 17, an election was held to select the police officer who would be the president of the Belize Police Association for 2020-2022. Corporal Eldon Arzu, the incumbent president who had been the serving president of the Police Association for the past 7 terms —14 years — again joined the race, seeking another term that would be his 8th term in the office.
Over 1,650 police officers cast their vote. After the voting was concluded, the votes were tallied, and the results showed that Arzu had been soundly rejected. He only garnered 385 votes, while Sergeant Jane Usher garnered 729 votes.
Sergeant Usher, who was Arzu’s opponent in the bid for the presidency of the association, was declared the winner and was installed as the president of the association.
Arzu, however, blamed Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams, for his defeat, and has asked the court to overturn the election, which he claims was illegal, and to reinstall him as president.
Corporal Arzu told the court that he was the incumbent president and that in November, which is the month in which nominations were to be submitted, he was the only person who had applied, and he should have been endorsed as the president for another term.
However, the nomination date was deferred by the Commissioner, giving others the opportunities to enter the race.
In the effort to overturn the election and to have Arzu installed as president, his attorney, Nazia Myles, told the media that she had made an application for judicial review.
Commissioner of Police Chester Williams strongly rejected the claim made by Arzu, and said that he, in fact, made an application in March of this year, while Usher and her team were the ones who made their applications in November.
The Supreme Court Justice, after hearing the two submissions, agreed to give Arzu a hearing, allowing the judicial review. The hearing was set for September 3.
Commissioner Williams said that although Arzu was allowed a judicial review, his request to be reinstalled as the president was denied, and also, his request for an injunction was not allowed, so the newly elected president, Sgt. Jane Usher, and her team may begin to implement their plans and policies for improvement of the welfare of the police officers in the association.
Commissioner Williams said that the granting of the judicial review to Arzu was expected, since the court wanted to determine whether the Police Commissioner had the authority to extend the nomination, and to extend the voting date.
Williams said that there were good reasons for deferring the dates, and they will