And while that mayor is in the throes of an internal dispute with her councillors, there is also a slight rift in the Belize City Council about a new restaurant and bar in the BTL park. It's an Italian restaurant and Cherisse Halsall takes us into the controversy behind "The Sicilian."
But there's no forgetting all the noise that the PUP made the last time someone opened up a restaurant and bar on this pier:
Darrell Bradley, Mayor, Belize City
"When we are talking about a bar where people go and get drunk."
That's a 2018 ad about the then Mayor of Belize City Darrel Bradley and his council's blunders with the then Pier One restaurant and bar. The ad - like many form the PUP - was built off a 7News interview:
Sunup on 7
Jules Vasquez, News Director, Channel 7
"Our challenge then was you cannot put a fox in the hen house, you cannot have a public space for children and for families that doubles as a nightclub."
"Man, are you so greedy for money that you make they turn into a club, fox in the hen house the PUP city council just like its UDP predecessors completely wrong but their wrongness in this is amplified by their rank absolute rank hypocrisy. Unacceptable."
And it was directly after that rant that we got an invitation for a media luncheon at the establishment in question.
Lunch we did, at the invitation of owner Daniel Hilton II:
Danieles Hilton II, Owner, The Sicilian
"I came here, visited, and I saw the pier and I saw that it was shut down, I saw the free trade, we're not really free in America, we're really not we're bound by red tape, we're bound by too many rules and restrictions."
And we got to experience the best of what the Sicilian has to offer. Still, we didn't exactly go there for the food. What we wanted to be served up was the tea.
And that all starts with this phone interview that the now, deputy mayor gave us back in January.
posted (January 20, 2022)
Micah Goodin - Councilor, Belize City
"I recall councillor Novelo in caucus shared several proposals by residents of the city, I believe one of those proposals was for Pier 1 to be used for some to sell pastries, another proposal was for it to be gym, I think the third proposal was for it to be a night club and the final proposal that he received was for it to become a restaurant where families could meet and no alcohol would be served and it would have that sort of environment, especially for children, so that is what I vividly recall."
But there is alcohol. In fact, a casual diner would say this place is less restaurant and bar and more bar and restaurant.
We went digging through City council minutes for a better idea of how it first shaped up.
Reporter
"You personally guaranteed that this establishment would be appropriate for families and that it would not serve alcohol, tell me when did that change."
Micah Goodin, Deputy Mayor, Belize City Council
"Well, it really didn't. Like the rest of the media, I can imagine. We received footage on April 1st or April 2nd thereabout of patrons at this establishment revelling and raving as if they were at a bar or a night club and that is not something that we approved in caucus. When the idea was presented to us it was presented merely as a restaurant that would provide for families and would complement our mission or our idea of having safe spaces for children and so when we saw this. It was something that we were alarmed by."
"There has already been one tragedy here and I would be damned if under my watch there is another tragedy and so we became very proactive after seeing that footage and this week we wrote well last week."
"We wrote to the proprietor reminding him of the conditions set in the lease agreement for this particular venue -desisted from the sort of nightclub vibe at the establishment."
Hilton, who yesterday took full responsibility for his establishment's activities, says it was all just post Covid exuberance. But he seemed to insinuate that the council could have done a better job laying down the law.
Danieles Hilton II, Owner, The Sicilian
"I don't think anybody could stop everybody was trying to relive their dreams from when it was shut down that first opening weekend is how I felt. That's just how I feel so hopefully that's all out of everybody's system and we can just continue to move forward and strive to do better."
"The do's and don'ts I don't know if they were really lined out like that but I take that as my full responsibility. We've already started closing down at 11:50 and I told everybody hey that's it and those are the rules have no way to stress that this is my fault but I was misinformed a little bit so it's my fault because I listened to this misinformation but it's clear now."
But that begs the question, what happened last night? Hilton was coy when we brought the question back around.
Cherisse Halsall:
"You did mention that something happened last night, what happened last night?"
Danieles Hilton II, Owner, The Sicilian
"What happened last night?"
Cherisse Halsall:
"I heard you say that what happened last night will not happen again, so what happened last night?"
Danieles Hilton II, Owner, The Sicilian
"Oh, I just meant last weekend or like yeah..."
But while the owner has vowed to get his act together it may be too little too late for a city council that can't afford yet another embarrassment.
Micah Goodin, Deputy Mayor, Belize City Council
"Personally I don't believe in putting profit before people. I think the safety and well being especially of our children is paramount here at the park and so that is something that we cannot countenance as a matter of fact yesterday we met with the Mayor and we have both made a recommendation to the liquor license board to rescind the liquor license because as I mentioned we cannot countenance that here, there has already been a tragedy and we cannot allow that to reoccur."
Cherisse Halsall:
"Do you think that he will leave after his liquor license is rescinded?"
Micah Goodin, Deputy Mayor, Belize City Council
"That is something that you'd have to ask him."
Danieles Hilton II, Owner, The Sicilian
"I think with any major restaurant, especially in Belize alcohol is a major part of keeping the business alive, so I think that if that got taken away with me it would be detrimental."
The decision is now left up to the city to see if it can manage competing interests and extricate itself from a political booby trap of its own making.
As you heard Hilton say he's turning over a new leaf and striving to provide a more family-oriented atmosphere from now on. And, he won't have much choice. Reports to 7News tonight are that while the Sicilian's trade license has been renewed, the City Council has voted to suspend its liquor license for the next three months.
We also attempted to contact councillor Mike Novelo, the councillor who originally pitched the Sicilian in caucus for comment on this issue and while he agreed to an interview he cancelled shortly thereafter.
