CitCo Predecessors’ Priorities Questioned

Oscar Arnold

The Deputy Mayor questions the priorities of the previous administration given the fact that this outstanding payment lingered while the then-U.D.P. council put off a free concert in February. The concert cost City Hall one hundred and thirty-three thousand dollars, almost three times the amount owed to the S.S.B.  The Deputy Mayor confirms, however, that the current P.U.P. City Council will have to make the payment.

Oscar Arnold, Deputy Mayor, Belize City

“Priorities; it shows where the leadership, where their priorities were at the time. We can’t speak for them; they would have to answer those questions for themselves, but definitely something that is legally binding like Social Security, like P.A.Y.E., deductions for contract tax and so on; those should be paid in to the consolidated fund for the government.”

Duane Moody

“This letter clearly states that the payment needs to be made in five days. That from the fifteenth would lead you to the twentieth—I’m not sure if it is business days—but it will lead to the twentieth, which is over the weekend. Is that payment going to be made today?”

Oscar Arnold

“Our finance team has been in contact with Social Security. We won’t run away from the debts, especially something as important as this for the employees. Has it been paid yet? I cannot confirm as yet, but I can have our PR Manager get back to you on that to explain what will be the course for the City Council going forward in this particular instance.”

In related news, we note that the post of city administrator, once held by Candice Miller, is being advertised in newspapers.