With the death of the City Administrator, the newly elected city council was thrown into a bit of chaos before even being sworn in. But a little over a week later, they finally took the stage and made their oaths to the city.
For some of the slate, it's their third term, for others, they're just getting their feet wet. But regardless, the heads of City Hall can now get back to work.
Courtney Menzies was at the ceremony and has this story.
One week and two days ago, the PUP slate took all 11 seats at City Hall in a landslide victory. And the man leading the charge, Bernard Wagner, is the first three time PUP mayor of the city.
But while the excitement was at an all time high last Wednesday, it came crashing down on Saturday, with the murder of the City Administrator. Stephanie Lindo-Garbutt had been with the mayor since his first term in 2018.
So, today's swearing in couldn't have started without first acknowledging the work she has done.
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"You see this stern looking, young, independent, hard working woman but inside she's a softy, she's very loving, she's friendly, she's open, but a professional and she will make sure she is going to get her job done and she was so good at her job that many instances the councillors would get upset with her because sometimes the councillors want spend money that you don't have."
"The City Administrator can't give you what she doesn't have. But that's Stephanie and I know the City Council staff, mayor, all of you are going to miss her, you're going to miss that person, the backbone of steel that is going to stand up and speak out when she does not see thing going right."
"But Stephanie is in a better place right now."
Bernard Wagner, Mayor of Belize
"She was our chief accountant and chief accountability personnel. She was fierce, no nonsense, and most importantly, she was a professional and a fair leader while still being a comforting friend to all of us."
"This recent loss of our CA adds another layer of challenge to our journey, however, just as what we have done in the past, we will rise and honor her memory by navigating through these turbulent times with strength and with resilience."
And during their first term, the entire world went into lockdown because of the Covid pandemic. In their second term, the council had to tackle with Hurricane Lisa. And now, they must begin without a CA.
But still, the PM said today that believed the mayor has always had a penchant for serving.
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"The main reason I believe that Mayor Wagner decided to run, whilst everybody wants to win, but more than anything else, I saw in him a man that wants to serve. As he said, he had a fairly successful professional life but there's more to life than being successful professionally but also when you have it in you when you've been working with young people, you've been active in sports, you see the many needs that the community has, he felt that he needed to take that extra step to be able to do public service."
Now this new slate under the same old leadership has big plans for the next three years.
Bernard Wagner, Mayor of Belize
"This third consecutive swearing in as mayor is an immeasurable honor. My gratitude and my promise to remain a faithful mayor are equally overpowering. At this moment, our team is fueled by a surge of triumph and overwhelming public support."
"And soon Belize City will see Electric buses and electric taxis on our streets for the first time as we take a national lead in modernizing public transportation. This is only one of a cluster of signature achievements to come during this term. Among them along with the Central Government, we intend to replace both the Swing Bridge and the Belcan Bridge. The rehabilitation of the MCC Football Field, the rehabilitation of 200 streets, greater partnership with the police department to boost public safety and efforts to stimulate public health, civic pride, entrepreneurship, development in every sector, every corner, and in every nook of Belize City."
And today, both the young and old councillors got a few words of advice from a long time politician and current prime minister.
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"Don't look at this as a profession, this is not a profession, this is public service that you have offered yourself to this city that you're prepared to work for the city, that you're prepared to look after the concerns of the citizens of this city and that you're not here because you get a monthly stipend, because that monthly stipend, in many instances you end up using that and more because people come with their needs so it's not a profession. It is public service."
