Mayor Bradley Says Council Needs to Adopt New Standards

Darrell Bradley

Mayor Darrell Bradley, who signed on behalf of the Belize City Council, acknowledges the need for City Hall to adapt similar standards as that of the public service, where employees are protected against political victimization.

Darrell Bradley, Belize City Mayor

“I think that it’s very, very important for municipal governments to establish a public service culture and to make every attempt to ensure that the administrative stuff is insulated as much as possible from politics.  We live in a certain reality in our society but we must ensure that staff are entrenched in terms of their employment, that they are protected with basic rights.  I think that we achieved some of this with our municipal services regulation and I think that this adds an additional layer of protection and benefit and in the larger context, as Audrey mentioned, I think that it bodes well for the creation of a more efficient and a more service-driven municipal staff.  And that bodes well for members of the public who interface with city council employees on a daily basis.  I want to extend my gratitude to the Christian Workers Union, I think that they were a tremendous partner in really advocating, even before this CBA, in terms of the rights of workers.  I remember, as Audrey indicated, were stress, to use a nice word, but I think that we have grown to respect the power and importance of the union that they are an essential part of the employment relationship that they play a huge role in advocating for the rights of workers.  And I think that over the course of the several years that I am mayor, I have come to respect their contribution and I think that it has been significant in really directing management and assisting management in some areas where recognizably we were falling in error.”