Did Mayor Bernard Wagner Responds to Allegations of Conflict of Interest

Bernard Wagner

Did Mayor Bernard Wagner use his power at Belize City Hall to promote his business at city hall?  It’s an allegation that resurfaced last when the City Council’s Human Resources Unit sent staff an internal memo to encourage the mayor’s privately owned business called J.B.W. Finance Company Limited.  It’s a micro-finance and loan operation – that used city hall to market its services. The memo that went out offers the CitCo staff membership and a fourteen percent rate credit rate from J.B.W.  Some staffers felt it wasn’t right for the council to promote the mayor’s business through an internal memo – they thought it was an apparent conflict of interest that targeted staff to gain business for a private entity. When the media caught up with the mayor today, the media pressed him about it – here’s how the conversation went.

Reporter

“Is it a conflict of interest that CitCo Human Resources is offering fourteen percent to council staff for your own organization?”

Bernard Wagner, Belize City Mayor

“I don’t manage that organization so I will not comment further on that. That organization has a manager and the relationship that the manager has is not anything on the mayor. There are two different entities.”

Andrea Polanco

“Sir, but if you own it, there is a conflict of interest – you’d agree?”

Bernard Wagner

“I didn’t send any kind of…”

Andrea Polanco

“But do you own it? Do you own it?”

Bernard Wagner

“I own the business of course.”

Andrea Polanco

“Right – so it is a conflict of interest, sir. You are the mayor – how will your office turn it down?”

Bernard Wagner

“How can it be a conflict of interest?”

Andrea Polanco

“How can the council turn it down, sir? It’s the mayor’s business?”

Bernard Wagner

“It is a relationship with the manager of that business and the council. I will leave it at that.”

Andrea Polanco

“So, essentially a relationship with your employee?”

Bernard Wagner

“I will leave it at that.”