Mayor Wagner to Continue Darrel Bradley’s Legacy in Infrastructure

Bernard Wagner

With a new sheriff in town at 109 North Front Street, are there any projects that were started under the previous administration that Mayor Wagner is looking to complete?  That’s what we asked this afternoon, considering that many, if not all, governments come into office with their respective mandates.  He says that re-floating the existing municipal bond is an idea that readily comes to mind in hopes of undertaking additional infrastructure projects.

Bernard Wagner, Belize City Mayor

“Well certainly, Mayor Bradley has to be commended for the work he has done.  I will not sit in a chair or sit in the office and breakdown what he did.  I think he served the city and he served it for six years.  People were comfortable with his leadership.  I want to continue some of the projects in terms of infrastructure, enhancing those infrastructure.  We felt that the cement streets were good for the city.  Infrastructure always helps to drive economic development and it allows for mobility, it allows for easier transportation and the movement of goods and so we want to enhance that in terms of ensuring that there are drains to compliment the cement streets.  So we are certainly looking, given the cash flow situation, given the council’s finances, we need to begin to look at how we could have funding for those undertakings.  Clearly the bond which is about three point four or three point eight million due in June or July of this year, we want to see if we could renegotiate those terms with the bondholders and look at probably re-floating portion of the bond to meet those capital projects in the interim.  We know we’re a cash strapped city council; we have to balance our cash flow to let it be in rhythm with our revenue stream.  So that is clearly one of the areas I want to continue to ensure.”