The Belize City Council only has a few weeks to go before its term is over, and while the Council should be holding the status quo, instead it is managing the largest transition in memory as it takes on 150 workers from Belize Maintenance Limited and the responsibility to keep the city clean. And it seems the mayor doesn't want councilor Dion Leslie to be part of it. Leslie had responsibility for the Council's Sanitation Department - but on Friday, we are told the city administrator sent out a text saying that the Mayor had transferred that responsibility to BQ Pitts Jr. And what did Leslie get in exchange? Nothing at all - not even a phone call to give him the news. Today we asked the Prime Minister about it:...
Jules Vasquez
"We have learnt reliably, that a text was sent out by the city administrator on Friday, saying that BQ Pitts would be in charge of the sanitation portfolio, which was formerly held by Dion Leslie and that other changes would be made. The effect of it was that Dion Leslie, who you had handpicked to send to Houston to facilitate the transition, is now completely a councilor without a portfolio."
Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"I never handpicked Councilor Leslie to send to Houston. As you say at the time he was in charge of sanitation, so he was the natural with whom to work in terms of preparing the transition. But, I have heard that this has occurred. I heard further that the decision on the part of the mayor was made and implemented without prior notification to Councilor Leslie. I don't know if it is true, but if it is, that's unfortunate. I sent his Worship the Mayor, a text last night asking to be brief and suggesting that if in fact things happen as they were reported to me, there would be a need for some kind of meeting between him and Councilor Leslie and some rethink of the situation."
Daniel Ortiz
"Sir, but it would be your wish, though you cannot meddle in the autonomous municipality of Belize City, but it would be your wish that if Mr. Leslie is being penalized in some way, for you looking to him to assist with the transition, that it would be reversed."
Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"Well, that's a big wish. What I really want is to ask the mayor to be sure that decisions are taken after full consultation and where a decision would affect a councilor, that the matter be discussed with the councilor beforehand. I would also want to be sure that decisions are taken completely on the basis of fair play and I would leave it at that."
Mayor Bradley and the Councilor Leslie were supposed to meet today but we don't know what came out of that since neither would return our request for a comment.
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