The Belize City Council owes the Social Security Board over three hundred and fifty thousand dollars. That is money the council deducted from workers salaries and money it should have been paying on their behalf. As we told you last night, Mayor Zenaida Moya says she knew nothing about it – and placed all the blame squarely on the desk of the council’s Director of Financial Services Dwain Davis. And today Mayor Moya went even further – telling us that she is so disturbed she is by it that she is considering disciplinary action against Davis.
Zenaida Moya, Mayor of Belize City
“Of course when I found out about it I wasn’t thrilled but I had to ask him in fact it was true because at the time I was of the view that okay they would have been doing what they should have been doing as it pertained to the Finance Department and that is ensuring payments are made, especially when it comes to staff.”
Keith Swift,
You still maintain you knew nothing about it?
Zenaida Moya,
“Yes Keith, I will tell you outright that until when they had spoken to me about it in an interview, that is when I found out. I know some persons may question that but when it comes to being the Mayor of any municipality, and in this case I am the Mayor of the largest municipality in Belize, I don’t get into the nitty gritty of exactly what and what is done. That is where you technocrats to carry out the work, otherwise I would not get my political work done, hence the reason that the technocrats apparently felt that they would handle it.”
Keith Swift,
But Mayor do you know that withholding employees’ deduction is not only improper but also illegal?
Zenaida Moya,
“Well as I told you, this is something I would I have condoned if
I knew about it.”
Keith Swift,
Will Mr. Davis be disciplined?
Zenaida Moya,
“You know that is something that I have thought about and I felt very upset that I wasn’t informed.”
Keith Swift,
What was he doing with the money deducted because it didn’t come from the council’s money, it came from money deducted from the salaries of employees?
Zenaida Moya,
“Keith that is something you would have to ask him.”
Keith Swift,
Have you asked him?
Zenaida Moya,
“Well clearly I did ask him, I said, ‘Mr. D why didn’t you pay in what was deducted.’”
Marion Ali, News 5
“What was his response?”
Zenaida Moya,
“It is a response that I mean…it happened noh. It just happened that way that it wasn’t paid in.”
Marion Ali,
“According to Christine Perriot you knew about it because she was one of the managers that approached you and talked to you about the withholding of these contributions to the Social Security. Can you tell us exactly when you found out and how?”
Zenaida Moya,
“I found out whilst you interviewed me. That is when I found out.”
Marion Ali,
“Christine Perriot has said outrightly that you knew about it, she knew that you knew because she was one of the managers that approached you about it. I guess she is saying you’re lying.”
Zenaida Moya,
“See this is one thing I can tell you and anybody who knows me know I fear God more than anybody else, nobody else I fear on earth, and I can put my hand on the Bible and tell you she had never approached me about this. But to answer your question again, I never knew about it. I found out about it, it is unfortunate I found out about it in this manner but that is when I found out about it.
During that time, it was being dealt with by the Director of Financial Services and apparently, according to him, the City Administrator. During that time I guess they felt they could have managed the situation and it was not brought to myself or my council. As I told you I spoke to at least two of the councilors, I can’t say all of them, and they also indicated they were not aware of it. So I would have ensured that I paid this because of all the persons who stand to look bad, it would have been me.”
First, a clarification. Moya is right when she says that former Human Resource Manager Christine Perriot never told her about the outstanding sums. That is also Christine Perriot’s position. Perriot today told us that she never said that she had told the Mayor, she simply knows and maintains that the Mayor was told in August when the matter first arose. Perriot says it had also been listed on a number of financial reports which passed the Mayor’s desk. So yes, she maintains that the Mayor knew.
As for the ever loyal Director of Financial Services Dwain Davis, he told us this evening that he accepts responsibility for the scandal. He confirms that the Mayor did not know. He says that he and the former City Administrator met with Social Security Board officials around August of last year and agreed on a payment plan. A release from the council yesterday informed that between December and January, four payments have been made amounting to eighty-eight thousand dollars about a third of the debt – leaving the outstanding balance at $275,000.
