Councillor Laura Esquivel weighing her options
And from a police brawl to the U.D.P. convention battle from where one decisive winner emerged: Zenaida Moya. But now there is unease among some councillors who made it back on the U.D.P. City Council ticket; unease because they publicly opposed the incumbent Mayor and called on her to pay back ninety thousand dollars in unauthorised monies to the council. News Five caught up with Councillor Laura Esquivel who finds herself between a rock and a hard place and who is reportedly considering her options. We also asked about the public’s call for Councillors to put in more time for the salaries they collect.
Laura Esquivel, Belize City Councillor
“We know that there were a lot of people who came out and voted who had not been traditional convention voters. We must appreciate though, that they felt the conviction enough to come out and participate in that convention and so we really need to thank the people who came out to that convention and stood I line, some people an hour, some people an hour and a half to vote because they felt that conviction.”
Marion Ali
“In terms of the results itself, Mayor Moya won by a significantly large should I say ratio or percentage. I think that’s better than anybody had predicted she would do.”
Laura Esquivel
“Well, you can never tell with these things and that’s what the people came out for and we have to give them what they want.”
Marion Ali
“Talks since immediately following the results or while the counting was on was that councillors Esquivel and Peyrefitte would have resigned had this been the turn out. What’s your take on that? What’s your position?”
Laura Esquivel
“We will be meeting with the Prime Minister as well as the Central Executive of the party and we will be finding a way forward to see how we can work this. We have a responsibility to the people who came out and voted for us and we have a responsibility to the party so we have to take all things into consideration and so we will be meeting with the prime minister shortly as well as members of the central executive of the party.”
Marion Ali
“When you say we you mean?”
Laura Esquivel
“Well, I’m speaking for myself today but I spoke to Councillor Peyrefitte this morning and I think that there are some other councillor candidates that would also like to be there in terms of a meeting with the central executive of the party. We need to rebuild, move forward and do what we have to do for the betterment of Belize City.”
Marion Ali
“But let me ask you this. You have six months to go to serve your current term in which you’ve been elected to serve. How does it go for the next six months for you and the rest of your councillors? Does the convention have any bearing on how the performance of your work will be?”
Laura Esquivel
“No, we were voted in to do a job and that’s what we’re gonna continue doing. We’re gonna continue going to meetings, we’re gonna continue putting forth proposals and continue putting forth projects for the city.”
Marion Ali
“People have also been calling for councillors to put in more hours as well with the mayors salary not being the only one that is being monitored or being put under the microscope by john public. What’s your take on that; that people have been criticizing that councillors have two jobs and are collecting two salaries/stipend or whatever?”
Laura Esquivel
“Well, in reality the law wasn’t written for it to be provided as a job. I do know that there are changes being made to the City Council Act; amendments being made and I certainly am one of them that welcome the changes or amendments to the act. I would say that me, in particular, would be willing to put in more hours if there was more inclusion of the councillors on a whole.”
Marion Ali
“Let me ask you point blank, were yourself to be elected if you decide to run under Mayor Moya on the U.D.P. slate, would to be ready and willing to work under her as mayor?”
Laura Esquivel
“I’ve always been willing to work. Like I said, we need inclusion and we need to, like I said, be included so that we are providing the very best that we have the ability to do.”
