The mayor of Belize City apparently has a lot of making up to do to city benefactor Hans Bhojwani. Bhojwani donated two bandstands during the Zenaida Moya years. One was in Battlefield Park, the other in BTL Park. But, as is now well known Moya's successor Darrell Bradley completely renovated those parks and rubbished the two bandstands. You might think that would be the end of it – right? Gift received, briefly used, and then refused, and reduced to rubble. But, it's not that simple. As you might be able to tell while driving around Belize City, Hans Bhojwani likes to see his name in big letters – so for years now, he's been demanding compensation from the city.

Well, the mayor has conceded to putting up two signs on the Marine Parade re-naming the sidewalk the Bhojwani Promenade. We say "re-naming" because Moya first gave it that name, and then the Bradley council undid it. But now Bradley ahs to re-do it. The mayor told us today it was simply a good gesture to avoid a lawsuit:..

Darrell Bradley - Mayor of Belize City

"We were written to by his attorney, we were in communication with them for a period of going now on to two years. Communications went back and forth, I met with the attorney on several occasions and the accommodation that was finally decided on is that, we have no issue in relation to the removal of the band stand because we understand that there was no personal reason for the removal but it had to do with the technical requirements of the various projects but in relation to the promenade itself; okay then you can put up two signs on either side of the promenade. The signs have a certain length, it is being supervised in terms of the work but you did make a contribution to the city at that time and we're trying to promote the involvement of the private sector to try to encourage private public sector partnerships; so if we could have a settlement where we put your name on a promenade then so be it."

Jules Vasquez

"The perception might be that in a very public space such as the marine parade, that so many people use for recreation, exercise etc. That just because you have money, you could say well I want my name there for all generations, until the end of time. It's a little irksome from a public point of view."

Darrell Bradley - Mayor of Belize City

"Well I didn't deal with it from that perspective. I thought that the signs were minimally intrusive so that I understand that certain elements in the public may be disturbed by it, it may rub people the wrong way. When we discussed this matter at council, several of the councillors were rightly annoyed by the situation but you know what, in life you have to live people."

Jules Vasquez

"But when you donate, if it is a donation, you don't donate in perpetuity, plans change."

Darrell Bradley - Mayor of Belize City

"My single response to you is that is not a big deal and to bring this matter to a close and to avoid conflict or further conflict and litigation which may imperil the city and may actually cost us, let's just live with a sign. The man gave 2 band stands to Belize City, is it really that big of a deal when we consider this? I think not Jules. Lord man da wa sign Jules!"

Jules Vasquez

"Mr. Bhojwani is just a private individual who wants because our city is always the beg, he wants to brand Belize City with his name because it is quite affordable for a man of his means. And I'm saying how low do we go to satisfy what is not a cooperate position; it's not BTL or RF&G trying to say this is brand recognition, this is from what it looks like a public act of private egotism that I want to personally; he's not a captain of industry, he's not an employer of hundreds, he's not someone who stands astride society like BTL."

Darrell Bradley - Mayor of Belize City

"We didn't go with it from the point of view of Hans Bhojwani and this and that and whatever. We approach it from the point of view of it being a possible matter for litigation and we coming to the point where we can have common understanding in relation to there being any personal attack against that particular attorney's client and how do we resolve this matter. And it was put to us in the very end of our discussions that we will not give any compensation, we will not give any set off for any taxes, we will not deal with anything that is costing the city council even one cent but if you give us a design for a very modest sign and you want that to be approved as long as you pay for those signs; for us to bring this to an end, for us to make peace, we will accept that and I don't think that anything is wrong with that, so that I can hear you."

Jules Vasquez

"Even if it's in furtherance of the vanity of an individual?"

Darrell Bradley - Mayor of Belize City

"We were talking earlier in relation to the candidacy of Donald Trump in the United States. I think that he wants to be President of the United States just to say that he can be President of the United States. So to say to me that people do things and are motivated by vein reason is to say nothing to me."

When we first raised the issue with the mayor it was in 2013 – at the time Bhojwani was simply complaining that he had not been consulted. Tomorrow you'll hear our back and forth with the mayor about this oversight and whether it's an extension of his hard charging leadership style.