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The standoff in the Belmopan City Council continues tonight where councillor Hope Amadi says he's the acting mayor, while the Ministry of Local Government says councilor Sanie Cal is the acting mayor. In fact, the Director of Local Government has even sworn him in as Deputy Mayor!
But tonight councillor Amadi is unapologetic. He spoke to PLUS TV today and discussed CEO Valentino Shal's interview yesterday where he said of Amadi, quote, "Well if the law doesn't give you a right to be there you don't belong there."
He responded to that and spoke not he wider issue today:
Hope Amadi, Bmp City Councillor
"I am very very disappointed that the CEO would say that, but at the same time, it is expected. Sometimes, I don't know if I would say that some people have, you know, displaced amnesia, like forgetting things sometimes, not understanding what has been in place from the beginning of our, you know, city, while we are in city council. Yes, I understand what the act says, the quoting that the CEO was always referring to I do believe that maybe he needs to read it properly to understand what the act is saying, because the Ministry of Local Government is also acting outside of what the act is saying. I don't see any part of the act that says that the Ministry of Local Government can come and impose anything to the council, neither the act nor the act that governs the minister of local government."
"The act in subsection, the same 10, subsection 5, says the deputy mayor may at any time during his term of office be removed from office at a meeting of the council. Meeting of the council. By a majority resolution of the members of the council present and voting at that meeting. And a new Deputy Mayor may be elected, it says may, may be elected, it does not say "must be elected", it says "may be elected" for the unexpired term of office for the council by the members of the council from among themselves, members of the council form among themselves! Not Ministry of Local Government, not CEO Shal, not the Ministry from Local Government, not Clifford King, the Director from Local Government, they have no right to elect or to appoint any deputy mayor!"
Reporter:
"So yesterday, Clifford King, the Director of Local Government, he swore in Sanie Cal as the Deputy Mayor, Can he do that in your opinion?"
Hope Amadi, Bmp City Councillor
"The act is specific, he cannot do that. He does not have the right to do that."
"I've not read where the Ministry of Local Government can come and appoint a new Deputy Mayor. They've been trying to bully the people's mayor. I think this is when you have a woman in power and then the woman is in power, anybody feel that they can jump and do whatever they want to do."
Reporter:
"So, in what capacity is Cal currently operating in is he a councilor? Is he acting Mayor?"
Hope Amadi, Bmp City Councillor
"He's a councilor. No, no. My view he's a councilor, Councilor Cal. Yes, he's a councilor."
Reporter:
"And he's not the deputy mayor?"
Hope Amadi, Bmp City Councillor
He's not the deputy mayor. He's not the deputy mayor. I repeat that. He's not the deputy mayor. According to the act, they are quoting the act. According to the act, he's not the deputy mayor.
Reporter:
"Despite him being sworn in yesterday?"
Hope Amadi, Bmp City Councillor
"He cannot be sworn in by local government. That is not what local government does. It is not part of the Act for them to do that. You understand he's just a councilor like me. I'm also a councilor. The only difference is that the mayor had asked me to look after the affairs of the council until she comes back."
Reporter:
"Now in an interview with the CEO yesterday. He said that if you refuse to desist from being acting mayor, the lawful decision of the government must be enforced. What do you think that that means? The word enforced?"
Hope Amadi, Bmp City Councillor
"I don't know. You have to ask them what does enforcement mean? Because according to the act, we've not done anything wrong that it will cause the government to enforce anything on us. We are following the act the same way he's trying to follow the act."
