For the past 2 nights, we've been showing you our interview with Belize City Mayor Darrell Bradley about the recent challenges he has been facing. Well, one of his headaches returned today...but like a migraine!
A Supreme Court Marshall went to City Hall to crowfoot the council's items to recover an outstanding debt! Now that kind of action is reserved for the hardest pay malpago's - but now it has befallen city hall.
It's a product of that well-known dispute that City Hall has with Belize Waste Control where it falls behind on arrears for garbage collection.
About 6 weeks ago, the Supreme Court entered a default judgment against the Council when Waste Control sued them. Bradley and the council didn't offer any defence, and so, the court ordered them to pay the company $525 thousand dollars.
The City has been honoring that judgment debt, paying it off in parts, and today, the council had only $59,000 dollars to get before they would have completely settled the debt.
Insistent on collecting all of their money, the company's attorneys pressed the court to ensure that every last penny was collected. When that wasn't done, a bailiff was sent to City Hall to mark items off for auction to cover the rest.
When we arrived there this evening, the situation had already been resolved, but we did get a chance to ask City Councillor Phillip Willoughby about it. Here's what he told us:
Daniel Ortiz
"We were told that a bailiff is supposedly at City Hall right now marking items as chattel to deal with a debt that Waste Control is pressing against the City Council."
Phillip Willoughby, City Councillor
"No sir."
Daniel Ortiz
"Talk to us about what is happening with that case?"
Phillip Willoughby, City Councillor
"What transpired early on this afternoon was that the costs awarded to Belize Waste Control attorneys…that amount was not paid and that was the issue and that is resolved."
Daniel Ortiz
"When do you mean resolved? Talk to us about that."
Phillip Willoughby
"Well within the judgment, there's an admission of costs, so the cost has to be paid, and that has been dealt with."
Reporter
"How was that dealt with sir?"
Phillip Willoughby
"We have to pay sir."
Daniel Ortiz
"How much is that quantum at this time?"
Phillip Willoughby
"Seven thousand, six hundred sir."
Daniel Ortiz
"Sir was there anybody from the court here to oversee that situation to ensure that it was paid?"
Phillip Willoughby
"Sir that will be dealt with - long and short it has been dealt with. But the payment won't be afforded today as the Mayor is out of the country but we agreed and we understand what the situation is and it's being dealt with sir."
We understand that just over $51,000 was paid with the understanding that when the Mayor returns to the country on Monday, the rest will be dealt with. The Council, we are told, would have been more than willing to pay the rest of the money, but the 7,000 plus dollars cannot be paid without the Mayor's signature.
But, while that one judgement debt is just about over with, there is another on the horizon. 7News has been informed that another case has been filed by Waste Control against Belize City Council. This one is for another 600 thousand dollars, and at this moment, only a calendar date is pending for the actual hearing.
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