Belmopan City Council would require new legislation

In an update to our story on Thursday on the referendum in Belmopan, whatever voters in the capital and surrounding areas decide November twenty-fourth will be binding, but if they choose to become a city, the composition of the City Council will have to be established through new legislation. Jesus Ken of the National Assembly in Belmopan says it will not be as simple as giving Belmopan the same type of City Council as Belize City, since Belmopan is a special case and the establishment of city councils is not covered under existing town and village council laws. It will be the job of the Attorney General’s Ministry to develop the appropriate legislation covering the number of councilors, how the mayor is to be selected and other matters. It is also not clear whether the council would be elected in February during local elections, in March when the Town Board Elections take place, or if a special election, just for Belmopan would be called. Belmopan has a population of about six thousand and its boundaries include suburbs of San Martin, Las Flores, Salvapan, Maya Mopan and Rivera. Roaring Creek is excluded. At the moment the Reconstruction and Development Corporation is responsible for the town’s administration and residents do not pay any municipal taxes. This, presumably would change with the change in status.