Resignation and suspensions at City Hall
When we aired a story two weeks ago on the suspension of city administrator Englebert Perrera, little did we know that his was only the tip of the iceberg. Reports are that, Human Resources Manager Christine Perriott has been sent home for a week without pay while she is being investigated for similar allegations as Perrera: misuse of fuel vouchers. It is said that Perriott not only misappropriated forty-five gallons of fuel, but forged the signature to obtain the fuel. But before she was sent off for a week, sources tell News Five that Perriott was doing some suspensions of her own and since taking up the post in May has disciplined over a dozen employees for various alleged infractions. Among those who were suspended are Human Resources Coordinator Michael Theus, Sanitation Supervisor Adam Kuylen and according to media reports even the mayor’s administrative assistant, Norman Rodriguez. We are told that when Perriott started to take a similar tone with Public Relations Officer Kenny Morgan over sick days, he opted to resign rather than deal with the drama. Morgan’s last day was last Friday. This afternoon we asked Mayor Zenaida Moya about the upheaval… and while she said she could not comment much on ongoing investigations, she did say disagreements are a family affair.
Zenaida Moya, Belize City Mayor
“People have a right to resign, people resign every single day. You have a right to resign at any given time if you want to further your career in any other matter that’s your right. Whenever you may see another place you want to go, I am sure you’ll get that opportunity and you get that opportunity to resign and further your career.”
Kendra Griffith
“And so the resignations have nothing to do with bad blood between yourself and your employees?”
Zenaida Moya
“Not that I am aware of. When it comes to employees, the confidentially of any matter that pertains to an employee is a confidential matter and we’ll leave it at that. The matter as it pertains to Ms. Perriott, there is an investigation going on and it would be very unfair of me and unprofessional of me to speak on the matter, I will not do it.”
When News Five contacted Christine Perriott this evening, she said, “It is all a big misunderstanding that is going to be cleared up on Monday.” As for the various suspensions she had initiated, Perriott says everyone who is disciplined gets a hearing and an opportunity to be heard and that nobody is just suspended for hearsay.
