Samuels will give up CITCO duties pending court case
When we last left Belize City Councillor Dean Samuels he had been charged with Discharging a Firearm in Public, Possession of a Firearm while Under the Influence, Driving Without Due Care and Attention, and Driving Under the Influence. Those charges arose out of an incident in the wee hours of Friday morning outside a bar at the Newtown Barracks. He was released on fifteen hundred dollars bail and scheduled to reappear on September fifth. What was not so clear at that time, however, was how those charges would affect Samuels’ duties as a councillor, particularly since he held the portfolio for traffic. Today he made things clear in a pre-recorded audio statement released to the press.
Dean Samuels
“On Thursday March ninth, 2006, I was sworn in as a councillor of Belize City. Since that day I was given the portfolios of traffic and special events. I have executed my duties without incident, with sincerity, honesty and to the best of my abilities. You the residents of Belize City placed your confidence in me and elected me as a councillor. And today I come to you as a result of an incident that arose in the early morning of Friday, July twentieth, 2007 in which I was involved in an unfortunate altercation on Newtown Barracks.”
“As you all know I was detained by police, charged and later taken to court. Some of my charges have been dropped and others are pending the result of a urine test which I voluntarily gave up while in police custody.”
“I must say that I have never been detained or charged by police for any criminal act before. I am confident that the test will prove that I was not intoxicated the morning the incident occurred. In the spirit of transparency, I now announced that I am voluntarily relieving myself from serving under the portfolios of traffic and special events pending the conclusion of the court case which is set to be heard in early September.”
“This decision was taken to ensure that this incident does not overshadow the hard work that our city council has been doing since being in office and the work towards the goal of the United Democratic Party to represent the people of Belize at a national level.”
“And while I have relieved myself of these responsibilities from the respective portfolios I want to go on record in saying that I will continue to assist the council in its ongoing work to deliver goods and services to you the residents of Belize City.”
“Thank you.”
A subsequent release from the Belize City Council announced that the councillors, in a special caucus, have agreed to accept Samuels’ decision and in the interim his portfolio will be taken over by Mayor Zenaida Moya.
