And that popularity is why the battle has been so public and so ugly. Because Moya is so popular and known, her inter-party opponents feel that the only way to unseat her is to attack at her power base, which is the general population of the city. The most vicious attack came yesterday when figures showing the mayor’s allegedly unapproved salary were circulated to the public. We look back at those claims and Moya’s impassioned response to it.
Keith SwiftReporting,
This spreadsheet shows that in the month of July – Mayor Zenaida Moya received eight checks amounting to $5,900. That’s her approved salary, but this document shows that in July Mayor Moya received an additional $3,000 in two $1,500 checks. That’s her name on the ledger entry, but she flatly denies it. She provided her own figures.
Keith Swift,
Are you indeed receiving $8,900 a month?
Zenaida Moya, Mayor of Belize City
“I am receiving a total, this has to do with all the allowances including the vacation grant and insurance which will total, everything included, would be $94,416.26.”
Keith Swift,
So categorically you are not receiving $5,900 through the Finance Department and an extra $3,000 through payroll?
Zenaida Moya,
“No.”
Keith Swift,
So categorically you are not receiving $5,900 through the Finance Department and an extra $3,000 through payroll?
Zenaida Moya,
“No.”
Keith Swift,
So how much are you receiving?
Zenaida Moya,
“After taxes it is $7,816. The previous councilors were making less than the current councilors and the facts will show that the current councilors are in fact making more than the previous councilors with the exception of myself who is making less than the previous Mayor.”
And that’s why Moya was on verge of tears.
Zenaida Moya,
“It is very disheartening, upsetting, that because of desperation, because of the quest for power that my opponent and persons in the camp would do whatever he or she feels to try and discredit me.
But I would like to ask the residents of Belize City, my supporters, to just hang in there and I know a lot of you have stopped me as I walk as I campaign. A lot of you have called me, whether at the office or my phone, a lot of you had emailed me and told me to hang in there. Hang in there, you only have a few more days, that’s why I can honestly tell you that I will do so again. For me to even be running, sometimes I look at it and I say mein Zenaida you don’t need this, you don’t need this. But you know what, because I am already in it and because I am already the first female Mayor of Belize City, I cannot go down.”
The convention is on Sunday at the Belize City Center, not the MCC as we had reported earlier in the week. Later on we’ll have more with Mayor Moya as Keith Swift goes on the campaign trail with her and drops another $108,000 question.
