Last week, 7News told you about Mayor Darrell Bradley's failed attempts to try to contact missing city councillor Eric Chang, who has been stripped his portfolios and his responsibility has deputy mayor. The extended period of time, plus the radio silence has brought public pressure on City Hall to disqualify him has an elected city councillor, but the Mayor says that it's not that simple.
We caught up to him at an business mixer between the council and the Belize Chamber of Commerce, and he told us that his administration cannot expedite Chang's complete departure just because the public may be calling for it. Here's his frank comments on it:
Geovanni Brackett - Plus TV
"Why would you drag it on?"
Darrell Bradley - Mayor, Belize City Council
"No no, it's not a situation of dragging it on. The strength of a company has to do with its people and every single person. So that, we have certain procedures that we follow at City Council. We have certain policies that we have put in place. We have a certain modus that we run the city, and we are continuing to do that. Councillor Chang is absent from this jurisdiction. I have indicated that that absence is unacceptable. We have taken certain consequences against him. We will take more serious consequences as it goes on We're monitoring this situation very seriously, but there is not challenge to the city. I am the Mayor of the City, and it is my responsibility to ensure that his absence does not cause a negative impact on the people of Belize City. This is why we took the decision to remove him as deputy mayor because we need a deputy mayor in country. This is why we also removed him from all his portfolios, including the critical portfolio of works, so that we can continue to operate efficiently and deliver the kind of services that we need to deliver to the residents of the City."
Geovanni Brackett
"But, on a moral standpoint, it does bring some kind of criticisms. People are saying that this man is collecting a paycheck; in fact, we don't even know if he has even gone to an ATM to collect the pay, but -"
Darrell Bradley
"Every single person accounts for their deed. I am the Mayor of Belize. I am telling you what I do as mayor. I am telling you that we run the city in a certain way that comports with ethical standards. What Eric Chang chooses to do, is Eric Chang's business. It will not affect the continuity of Belize City because I am the Mayor. I am the leader of this city, and I will ensure that happen. If you are speaking about morally or not morally in relation to what Eric Chang is doing, should do, could have done, that is for Eric Chang. I have responsible for Belize City; I am the mayor of Belize City, and i respond on behalf the residents of Belize City."
Geovanni Brackett
"So, some would say that what you can do then is make sure that there is a meeting this month, next month, and then the following month, and then if he doesn't show up in 3 months' time, then terminate him."
Darrell Bradley
"We conduct our business in a certain way. I have indicated to Eric Chang his position; we won't try to accelerate meetings so that he loses his seat. Eric Chang is not in the jurisdiction. There have been serious allegations made against him. His refusing to come into the jurisdiction despite being demanded to do so by me is worrisome to me. But, I need to have him here so that I could sit with him, and we can have a discussion. It's not that I am going to accelerate anything so that he is prejudiced. He is not here; he's done things which I wouldn't do, and I find unacceptable, but there is a certain process that must be followed."
If Chang misses 3 more meetings from the council, then his seat will be deemed vacant, and the process of recall will begin.
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