Belize City Councillor Micah Goodin, the self-professed "Rebel Forever," is back in the news this week. That's after it became widely known that he is seeking a leave of absence from the City Council to pursue his studies abroad at law school. Reports say that after he ran into difficulties at the council, he got a government scholarship to study Law for 3 years in Barbados.
But, he needs the support of his fellow city councillors to go - on paid study leave.
According to the Belize City Council Act, "The Mayor may, with the concurrence of four other members, grant leave of absence to any member for a period not exceeding six months."
That's what Goodin is asking, and he has agreed to relinquish all his portfolios during this time. He has offered, where his schedule as law student permits, to attend City Council meetings virtually during the period of his leave. Finally, he is asking that the Council grants him leave with pay so that his allowance is not cut off.
In the first instance, Goodin is requesting leave from September 1, 2022, to December 15, 2022, to attend his first semester of law school.
We have also seen an email, which Micah sent to his colleagues at the Council, in which he claims that he has been accepted to the Mona Campus of the University of the West Indies in Jamaica, UWI's Cavehill Campus in Barbados, and the University of Guyana.
In that same email, he makes the sales pitch saying, quote, "I would truly be delighted if you would kindly approve the motion for my study leave… Through this medium, I humbly seek your kind approval, as it is the respectable and honorable thing to do before I book my flight… End quote.
But, only the Mayor can move this motion - but he and councillor Micah have beef, and our newsroom understands that's why Goodin has decided to approach his fellow City Councillors directly instead.
So, this afternoon, when we caught up with Mayor Bernard Wagner at another event, we asked about the request for a leave of absence with pay. Here's what the Mayor had to say:
Bernard Wagner - Mayor, Belize City Council
"We wish the councilor well as he tries to pursue education. We support anyone who wants to pursue an education. With respect to the request for leave, there are several different leaves you would ask for. You could ask for leave without pay. You could ask for a leave with pay, but the process is that you would write to the Mayor, obviously. The councilor chose to write to the secretary of the caucus. And so, the secretary did put to put together his motion, and we send it via our WhatsApp group. And therefore, he requires, by law, that the Mayor -I can only give him leave, based on the law, if I get the concurrence of four councilors. To date, I don't think he has been able to achieve that objective."
Daniel Ortiz "So what happens then with his requests? He still has to serve the Belize City people who elected him. That term is not over."
Bernard Wagner
"Well, that's the councilor's prerogative. I can't speak for him. All I know [is] that the people are our bosses. The residents are our bosses, and any decision you make, the citizenry or the residents will - when we go to the polls, will make that determination based on your actions during the past year. I believe we have about 18 months remaining on our term. By law, If we would grant leave, it would be on six months segment. And so, you would be looking at a three consecutive rolling out of that six-month window for him to exercise that leave. So, all I would say is that it's up to the councilors. For me to move, I need the concurrence of four councilors. Again with respect to leave with pay or leave without pay, we have never addressed that issue. All I'm told is that the councilor has requested that he be relieved of his portfolios during that time."
Daniel Ortiz
"But you do bring up the impracticality of a six-month leave, though, because that's one semester. As far as I'm aware, Law school studies aren't finished in one semester. You have at least six, sometimes 8."
Bernard Wagner
"But again, this is not something new. We have had councilors before, in past administrations, being given leave without the knowledge of the people. This time around, the people know about it. And at the end of the day, it will be the people who will decide whether, down the road, if that decision, they agreed with that decision or they did not agree with that decision."
Daniel Ortiz
"Are you concerned or fearful that it will - that this matter could have a negative impact on your campaign for re-election? I don't know if you are pursuing it, but I'm asking."
Bernard Wagner
"When that time comes, we'll deal with that, Daniel, but we continue to work."
