The gloves are now off and the battle between Mayor Zenaida Moya and her Deputy Mayor Anthony Michael has all but erupted into a full fledged war. Most of it is being waged on the airwaves in advertisements but it will be fought and won on the streets and at the City Center on Sunday. And that’s why in these days leading up to Sunday’s convention, Moya and Michael have been pounding the pavement in all ten constituencies in the city. Today we followed Moya in the Lake Independence area where we found the still widely popular incumbent confident but still on the defensive. Keith Swift reports.
Keith Swift Reporting,
Zenaida Moya is a Mayor under siege by elements within her own party. But on the campaign trail Mayor Moya walks with a swagger almost – confidently alongside a battalion of ardent supporters.
Zenaida Moya, Mayor of Belize City
“Everywhere we go, they tell me the same thing, ‘our Mayor, you have to stay there, we want you there and we will keep you there you understand. All we are asking is that on Sunday we will stand strong and we will be there in full force.’ Who needs to be picked up, they said please ensure that you come pick me up at a certain place because some people live far so we done know we will have to pick up certain persons. The rest, they say you don’t have to worry about that we will go out there ourselves. But on the campaign trail definitely it has been going very very well.
People don’t like see when you are trying to get what you don’t earn. People don’t like that plain and straight. When we were out there earlier on, really fighting to ensure that we get the party in and ensure a victory for the UDP, where were they?”
Zenaida Supporter #1,
“If it wasn’t for the Mayor, if it wasn’t for her, we couldn’t defeat the PUP party so I want to give power to her and I will be here until the end.”
Zenaida Supporter #2,
“This lady besides me, she is my Mayor from she won and I will support her fully and I am bringing out my people to vote for her. I have 48 people in my family and all of them will vote for Miss Zenaida because she’s done a very good job. We don’t want nothing, we just want her to win.”
Keith Swift,
Are there any other skeletons in your closet that may come out?
Zenaida Moya,
“Keith listen there are no skeletons. Whatever people want to do,
whatever they want to fabricate, you see what is happening. Let me tell you something, I am at the office everyday working, still di work. So they are wherever they are plotting so while I am at the office working, like I always have been doing, they are there sitting or congregating somewhere di plot. There is a difference, I am focused and that is what my supporters continue to tell me: Zenaida remain focused.”
But recently the focus has been on Moya’s salary. This is what she told KREM TV’s Ya Ya Marin Coleman in an interview on Sunday review on September 7th.
[Sept. 7th 2008]
Zenaida Moya: “The Mayor gets a salary of $36,000 a year and the Mayor also get allowances. Telephone allowance and a stipend as well. So there is allowances and a salary.”
After an ad break she later revised the figure.
[Sept. 7th 2008]
Zenaida Moya: “But then you’d have to take out the income tax portion which would lessen by about how much, umm $12,000
or $13,000.”
But that is still not what even she concedes she’s taking home. Her excuse for the disparity?
Zenaida Moya,
“I went straight from church, I didn’t have any documents in front of me.”
Keith Swift,
But you must know how much you make a month.
Zenaida Moya,
“No, no when it comes to your different benefits everything is separated. You don’t go there, ‘okay this that that that,’ you understand.”
Keith Swift,
But I know how much I get paid a year. You don’t?
Zenaida Moya,
“Well what happened for me is that it goes straight, they just take out my loans and everything and that goes direct.”
Keith Swift,
But you agree it looks bad.
Zenaida Moya,
“Keith you’re not going to take me down anywhere. I don’t get into those. I run the city, I am the Mayor of the city. I ensure that I deal with ten constituencies, that’s my focus. W hen my head hot dah office, whatever happens beside whatever, I look at the overall management of the city. The city comes first, that is how I take my job. I deal with the city, I deal whatever needs to be done and I make sure everything is in place in the city. That is what I deal with.”
Keith Swift,
So how much is your true annual salary?
Zenaida Moya,
“Keith I gave that information to you. I gave it to you in full.”
Tomorrow we’ll join Moya’s challenger Anthony Michael on the campaign trail.
