And, from the western stronghold of the UDP, to the PUP s northern stronghold in Orange Walk.
As in other parts of the country, The PUP went for their nomination in the morning.
They're trying to hold on to power for a 4th term, but this time around, a new Mayoral Candidate has emerged. He's Ladrick "Mad Bull" Sheppard, and he's a sitting PUP councilor. He wants to succeed Mayor Kevin Bernard, who has been elected to the House of Representatives as the Orange Walk East Representative.
After the nominations, Sheppard told our colleagues from CTV3 News that like the Corozal Town Council, a political alignment between local and central government would be beneficial for Suga City:
The PUP Council is being challenged for the local government seats by a UDP Slate led by Orlando "Chicle" Castillo, a new-comer who wants to be Mayor. He told our CTV colleagues that the municipality deserves young vibrant leaders. Here are those comments:
Mayor Challenged On Transparency
And turning back now to the Belize City council and its incumbent PUP council. They're the ones under scrutiny now - and a quick scan of the Council's website would reveal that the current administration has yet to publish its financial records for the fiscal year 2019 to 2020.
We're now in 2021 and this close to Municipal Elections, one would question if there is a lack of transparency in the Council. We asked Mayor Bernard Wagner and he said that COVID caused a delay in the audits.
Bernard Wagner- Mayor, Belize City
"Our audit, as you know we completed our audit for the fiscal year 2018. We are still in the process of completing our other audits. Again the pandemic came so those are lagging behind but we will get to those. As soon as we get it it will be on our website. That is a commitment that we made and it's a commitment that we also met there that the former Mayor had indicated to the press that he would have put out minutes of meetings. He did not do it, we are doing it."
In another note on transparency, we note that the council has also not published the minutes of their meetings since 2018 - before they were elected into office.
Mayor Defends and Disowns His Company
In another council controversy, a week ago, we told you that the Human Resources Department for the Belize City Council issued an internal memo offering them a promotion of 14% rates in JBW Finance Company Limited. But there sure seems to be a conflict of interest since Mayor Wagner owns that micro-credit company. Today we asked him about it, but he claims he has no say in the management of the establishment.
Bernard Wagner- Mayor, Belize City
"I don't manage that organization and so I will not comment further on that. That organization has a manager and the relationship that the manager has is not anything on the mayor. They are two different entities."
Reporter
"Sir, but if you own it it is a conflict of interest. You would agree?"
Bernard Wagner
"I never sent any kind of correspondence."
Reporter
"Do you own it?"
Bernard Wagner
"I own the business, of course I own it."
Reporter
"Right, so it's a conflict of interest. You are the mayor."
Bernard Wagner
"How will it be a conflict of interest?"
Reporter
"How would the council turn it down sir? It's the Mayor's business."
Bernard Wagner
"It's a relationship between the manager of that business and the council."
The City Council website lists the mayor as the owner of JBW Finance.
Police Pumping Iron The Ashcroft Way
And while politics is in rich ferment right now, the Belize Police was today enriched by the opening of a fully outfitted new gym. The state of the art fitness facility is at the Queen Street Police Station and serves as an incentive for officers to shed a few pounds. The ComPol and the Minister were present at the opening ceremony, and both spoke about the importance of having physically fit officers.
The ComPol reached out to the Lord Ashcroft COVID Relief Fund for assistance in financing the gym - but when Inspector Jane Usher related to him that the cost would be approximately 132,000 dollars, the COMPOL said he was afraid they had asked for too much.
But Lord Ashcroft came through for them. He was at the ceremony and said that he was more than happy to help the police department due to his own interest in law and order.
Still, some would be wary of taking money from Ashcroft as he is considered by many as "persona non grata." But Minister Kareem Musa is confident that in this case, there are no strings attached.
Police officers will be required to pay a $20 membership fee for the upkeep of the gym.
KAREEM ON POLICE BARRACKS
But the new gym is not the only thing the police have to be excited about. Those who are forced to live in dilapidated police barracks will soon see an upgrade to the facilities. But not just the police - Minister Musa explained that the Coast Guard and the BDF will also benefit and can also look forward to new equipment. He explains how this is possible.
Chopped A Man On Marine Parade
There was chopping on Marine Parade on Saturday, It happened around 4:00 p.m. in what was reportedly an unprovoked attack from a homeless man. It left 22-year-old Akeem Patterson with a cut wound to the head.
Police were called and quickly arrived on the scene but they too were attacked by the machete man and only managed to subdue Patterson's assailant with a shot to the leg. And this morning Sr. Superintendent Hilberto Romero told us that those were no rubber bullets.
Hilberto Romero, Sr. Supt-Deputy Head, NCIB
"On Saturday around 4:00p.m. Akeem Patterson reported that he was at the Marine parade when he was approached by a male person who inflicted a chop wound to him for no apparent reason. The police were called, the police responded, at which point the male person who inflicted the chop wound assaulted the police with the machete and as a result, he was shot to the leg. The male person was identified as Francis Ramos a Belizean of no fixed address and he was taken to the KHMH where he remains in a stable condition. Akeem Patterson was treated and released from the K.H.M.H."
Ramos remains in a stable condition at the K.H.M.H and is expected to be charged on release.
