Former BML Boss Lawrence Ellis Enters Political Race

Businessman Lawrence Ellis, a member of the People’s United Party, is also entering the political fray after submitting his name earlier this month to contest the candidacy for the mayorship of the Old Capital.  Many may recall that he was also the owner of Belize Maintenance Limited, a sanitation company that was contracted by the Belize City Council several years ago.  Earlier today, we sat down with Ellis to discuss his political ambitions, as well as his vision for Belize City.

Lawrence Ellis

Lawrence Ellis, Mayoral Candidate, P.U.P.

“At this point in time, with all the issues that I see our country and Belize City is going through, I believe, at this point in time that I am the best candidate to try and help to solve some of the issues that are in the city.  I look at all the past recent mayors and they have all focused mainly on infrastructure and not involving the people or making life any better for residents of the city, and even the basic function of maintaining the city, in my view, can be vastly improved.  And so I decided, and basically after the mayor had mentioned that he wasn’t going to run again, I decided this time to put in my name and I’ve been working on this from last year.  I have been encouraged to run, so I’m here now. Well I have a personal experience working with the city council, I worked there for over nine years under Mayor Joe Coye and Mayor Coye was a mayor under a UDP administration and what he was able to accomplish with the management style that he was providing at that time, I feel like we can do that again.  My experience working for the city council, because I was a manager there, the sanitation manager, so I was in all the management meetings, so I understand the city council, I understand how each department works.  So out of all the other candidates before, I have firsthand experience at the city council, so I more well-equipped to be able to lead the city council. Well the minute you decide that you will offer yourself for politics because I don’t know if you will recall when I was the owner of Belize Maintenance Ltd., the dirt and the stuff that other media threw I mean that was, and most of it was lies, but they throw it.  So you have to prepare yourself for it.  I wasn’t prepared for it at that time, I was upset and angry at Mr. Bradley and Mr. Alfonso, but I mean, I’ve matured and, you know, you have to deal with it.”