… But Deputy Mayor says not so

This afternoon we caught up with the Deputy Mayor Rene Pennil who denied the allegations on the hiring of Town Board employees.

Rene Pennil, Punta Gorda Deputy Mayor
“That’s absolutely not true Marion. What transpired there is that we had asked some people from the community to make up a panel to interview. There were seven interviewees and there were—after the seven of them there were two who qualified: one twenty-four, one twenty-four; that was the score.”

Marion Ali
“Who could vouch for this?”

Rene Pennil
“Well, we have the administrator, we have accountant who was there.”

Marion Ali
“Okay, who else? How many people I’m asking.”

Rene Pennil
“Seven people were a part of the panel.”

Marion Ali
“Okay, so they could tell me the same thing you’re telling me.”

Rene Pennil
“Yes. So we decided that we would eventually need another person because we need a clerk now but eventually when we have the money, we would also need a cashier. So we decided these girls are tie, let’s get the two of them. One of the girls had high school only and the other one had sixth form. So we decided that the girl with the sixth form—she had one year of sixth form—she should get the cashier position because we believe that the cashier was a higher position. And we agreed to that and he was there when we agreed to it.”

Marion Ali
“But did he agree to that?”

Rene Pennil
“Yes, he was in the meeting when we agreed to it; all of us. He was there and it’s unbelievable now when I hear he’s giving these interviews. He gave one this morning and now he’s giving one to Channel Five.”

Marion Ali
“But who gives the authorisation? Who writes these letters and signs them? Is it you or the mayor?”

Rene Pennil
“Well, for the most part one the mayor’s behalf, it would be the administrator. The administrator writes the letters.”

Marion Ali
“And that instruction comes from whom to the administrator?”

Rene Pennil
“From the mayor.”

Marion Ali
“So he was the one who told the administrator to hire the young lady?”

Rene Pennil
“Yes, to hire the young lady but we decided as a council. We decided as a council to hire both of them: one would start this Monday and the other one would start the first of October.”

In Belize City the council has had its own share of internal bickering which remain unresolved with public allegations of financial improprieties flung against the mayor by one of her own councillors.