Partisan Politics Not Welcome under New Regime

Bernard Wagner

The Council has seen two fairly high-profile departures in the days immediately following the municipal elections. Joe Bradley, former Mayor Darrell Bradley’s father, resigned from his post as a compliance officer with the Council; he also acts as a talk-show host on the U.D.P.’s Wave Radio. Shane Williams, the recently-appointed public relations officer, has also tendered his resignation; he is a reporter with the party’s newspaper organ, the Guardian. Mayor-elect Bernard Wagner notes that these are two of the more openly partisan employees and so were expected to leave. But for those staying on, he advises that they should check their politics at the door.

Bernard Wagner, Mayor-elect, Belize City

“Intelligence prevailed in that instance there. We did not have to go to those individuals. Those individuals recognized their partisan connection, obviously, and they took the high road and they moved on and that’s great. And I would want the other partisan people that are still here – let intelligence prevail and let’s move on. But certainly, we can’t be in a situation where our administration process is derailed. We need to serve the people and we need to have a smooth transition. We need to have an energy where everybody is working toward one goal.”

Any announcements on new hirings, or for that matter the portfolios of the new councilors, waits until the first caucus meeting of the new Council.