The Mayor of Belmopan, Sheran Palacio has been under attack from her own councillors for some months now - and tonight she's lashing back at them.
In an April 6th letter to the Minister of Local Government, Oscar Requena, she talks about all that her fellow councillors have put her through - a litany of wrongs including insubordination, cyber bullying, obstruction, failure to meet deadlines, undermining, disrespect, intimidation, attempts at usurpation, abuse, malfeasance, and, no surprise, a lack of progress. That's a whole lot of bad blue blood, and her worship's laundry list of betrayals is in response to a meeting that the CEO in the Ministry of Local Government, Valentino Shal has summoned Palacio and her councillors to.
The meeting - it seems - arises from a letter of complaint sent by the councilors to the ministry, but Palacio laments, quote, "I am yet to be invited to a meeting to air my side of the issues, rather I am being called to attend a meeting at the first cry of these councillors? I requested a meeting with Mr Shal at the onset of the challenges but was not favored with an audience. I daresay, where was the local government when this council and its resources were being prostituted? Where was the intervention needed to arrest the abuse and the malfeasance this council has been subjected to?". End quote.
And, after that Mayor Palacio concludes, "respectfully, I will not attend the meeting." Then, she tells the minister, quote, "to take time to visit my office at your leisure to hear directly from me rather than ask for a meeting only when instigated by these councillors." End quote. That's a tall order for the minister to come and meet a mayor, but Palacio says, quote, "rest assured, this Garifuna woman….will not be shaken….I will…occupy this space until voters say otherwise…" end quote.
