Call it a sign of the heated political times as the UDP, the PUP, and the police had a royal rumble yesterday on the city streets. Unless you’ve been under a rock somewhere, you’ll know that the PUP put up a sign, the UDP City Council declared that they had no authority, and then went to take it down. And it’s what happened between all that which made the news. Of course, our 7NEWS camera was in the middle of it all. And while last night time only permitted us to give you a rough cut, here’s a more complete look at what happened and why.
Zenaida Moya,
“This is just not simply a sign Jules.”
And indeed it isn’t – this sign was a battleground. But to go behind all of it, this is the law that the UDP cites as proof that the PUP did do something illegal when it put up this billboard without approval. It’s chapter 85 of the Belize City bye-laws – enacted by former PUP Mayor David Fonseca in 1999 and it says: “any person desirous of….placing any billboard in or near any street, park or public place in or within Belize City shall first make written application to the city administrator…enclosing the relevant fee" which in this case for a billboard is $300 per year. So the City Council is the authority, but yesterday, that’s not what second in charge at Eastern Division Chester Williams seemed to think.
Sr. Supt. Chester Williams,
“I am here to ensure that law and order is uphold. If they are saying the sign was erected illegally, then two wrongs do not make a right. I had explained to the UDP and the Mayor that the proper procedure to do, since they are saying the sign was erected illegally, is to take the PUP to court and let the court issue an order to have the sign legally removed from where it is.”
Hon. Dean Barrow,
“I listened to Chester Williams talk foolishness about two wrongs not making a right and we need to go to court because this is land that the PUP paid for. No man, this is a public space. This is a public street reserved under the jurisdiction of the City Council.”
But the PUP never respected that jurisdiction – and Secretary General Henry Usher said they never needed to. When we met him at 3:30 before all the chaos unfolded he said it was not about asking permission
Henry Usher,
“I believe they are afraid of this sign – it is clear they are so desperate that one sign has them, I don’t want to say the word but they are pissing in their pants, they are afraid of one sign, Jules. They come here and want to take down one sign. What will one sign do in an election?”
And Usher’s workers were busy nailing it back up. But within half an hour, the UDP would return led by Mayor Zenaida Moya along with councilors Mark King and Dean Samuels. With two ladders, those city council employees readied themselves to take it down, but were stopped by Chester Williams. That led to a heated exchange between the Mayor and Williams - all while CITCO employees were pushing on the sign, trying to topple it. Moya went as far as to read him the law.
Jules Vasquez,
Do you have to come out here and oversee this? Isn’t there a more elegant way to do this?
Zenaida Moya,
“Was there any elegant way when they totally went there and disrespected the Act, the Act, you know. We are talking about something legal here, disrespected the Act where people took time to write. Is there any elegant way that they did that? No, they just went ahead and they just did what they felt they had to do.”
But there was a certain violent elegance to this cut and thrust charge by chainsaw operator
Sr. Supt. Chester Williams,
“I am not saying we are out here to shoot people but if they want to charge at the police officers with a chain saw, then the police officers will know what is the next thing to do. The person saw the gun with the police and still made an attempt at the police with the chainsaw. The police pointed the gun at him, which is quite in order.”
And when the chainsaw man and Chester clashed again – the Mayor and her security team would be sandwiched in the middle.
With that volatile, violent air – that not even the rain could cool down, of course, when PUP media personality Vaughan Gill showed up with a camera – more trouble would erupt. And that left the mayor emotional and outspoken.
Zenaida Moya,
“Godfrey Smith and Francis Fonseca and all the of them, that is how they act and I hope all the supporters of the PUP see what is happening. That is what they voted for and I hope they understand, I hope they get the sense. We get enough of unu, the abuse, enough of unu tyranny. It will stop now.”
The sense that this city council is taking it to central government.
Jules Vasquez,
It’s just a sign, it doesn’t vote.
Michael Peyrefitte,
“Does this look like it’s just a sign. It’s more than just a sign, it’s bigger than just a sign. It’s about following procedure. It is about having respect for the fact that there is a duly elected Belize City Council and permission must be gotten from it, even if it seems like a small issue but go through the proper procedure and get your permission, of if you don’t get your permission, then take your sign somewhere else where you can get permission.”
Jules Vasquez,
Mayor it’s a sign, it won’t change the world, taking it down or leaving it up.
Zenaida Moya,
“Jules its not just a sign, it’s not just a sign. It is the beginning and surely will be the end of that sign today.”
