Bradley Still Has Eyes on Caribbean Shores

Darrell Bradley

But while vigorously defending himself and the Council, the Mayor was noticeably warmer towards, in his own words, his political brother Santino Castillo. In an interview done with Castillo a week ago, the Caribbean Shores Area Rep was less than charitable toward Mayor Darrell Bradley, who had expressed interest in running in that area. Castillo went so far as to downplay Bradley’s performance in the city, citing the millions given to him by Central Government and insinuating that faced with that bounty, anybody could have done it. Bradley responded today.

Darrell Bradley, Belize City Mayor

“The reality is that nobody did it in the past. I mean I will not say that the City Council is perfect. I will say however though that many people have stopped me and said the kind of work that they are seeing in the city over the past three years is unprecedented. It’s unprecedented because we have a certain level of aggressiveness, we have a certain character and vision and we want to get it done in the shortest possible time. I have much respect for the honourable minister Castillo. I think he and I have worked well together in the past. We have coordinated on several projects in Caribbean Shores and other areas of the city. I look forward to working with him to benefit Caribbean Shores; even in terms of the municipal elections. I look forward to working with Miss Schakron; she has said a lot of things which I appreciate and I take to heart. And I think that it only forms me better as a leader. So there is no division and there is no conflict in relation to me and the honourable Castillo. And the United Democratic Party, even though we may have divisions, we are a unified party. And I can’t say anything else against him. He is my party brother; I support him in relation to everything that he has done in his particular area. We have supported several of the developments in Caribbean Shores and to say there is any kind of division between us is not truthful. People in a political party—and I think I mentioned this before when we were dealing with a comment in relation to the prime minister—we are in political party. To say that people have different opinions, to say that one will challenge somebody else for an office; that’s the nature of politics; that’s the nature of the beast that we are in. But there is no animosity between he and I. I respect him; I like the man. I think that he has made a tremendous contribution to business, to sports and to politics and I look forward to working with him very closely to benefit the people of his area, which are residents of Belize City who also come under my jurisdiction.”

Santiago "Santi" Castillo Jr.

Mike Rudon

“You still have your eyes on Caribbean Shores?”

Darrell Bradley

“I have always mentioned the fact that I desire to seek higher office and I’ve made no secret of the fact—I don’t know if it would come sooner rather than later—but I’ve made no secret of the fact that that’s the area that I would want to work in and that’s the area that I would want to represent in the House of Representatives for the people of Belize City. And absolutely no way, I have retreated from that kind of question.”

In what is sure to be a byte used for future political mischief, Castillo also threw a pointed jab at Bradley, stating that it is easy to spend a lot of money, but very hard to pay it back.