Suspended CitCo employee calls financial controller a liar

Belize Maintenance Limited workers protested the Belize City Council this morning for “under paying” them by a quarter million dollars. But this afternoon, the focus was still on the issue of the under-depositing fiasco that continues to plague Mayor Zenaida Moya Flowers, who was again unavailable today for an explanation. And as the situation goes from bad to worse, one of the three suspended city employees has broken the silence. Phillip Henry, a traffic officer, says that he knows nothing of under-deposits of two hundred and seventy-five thousand dollars because he doesn’t work in the finance department. He claims he and three other workers collected lunch money for working through their break. Not only does he call the Financial Controller Patrick Tillett a liar, Henry says this experience has made him give up membership in the United Democratic Party.

Phillip Henry, Traffic Officer, Belize City Council
“Since they bring Mr. Tillett over there, he started plots against the mayor. As you know, they tried it before against the mayor to get the mayor out but because Father is there and Father have a strong voice, Mr. Tillett came to me after about a month in this investigation cause I been there after January. And he started to tell me that Father I need you to go down to the police station to give a station. I said why? Why should I go down to the police station to give a statement? They wanted me to go and give a statement against the mayor of Belize, which I don’t know anything about the mayor. I don’t know how I can be involved in under-depositing. I am a Traffic Officer who was called over to the City Hall after the United Democratic Party had gained power to the City Council again and my role is to become head of removal of derelict vehicles in the street. I said to make the United Democratic Party look so good, I am going to give it my all. So I went and give it my all and removed one thousand, two hundred and seventy-six vehicles off the street. So Mr. Willoughby approved for the three workers to get food between twelve and one. So we worked right through twelve and one and I received twenty-one dollars for three food of six dollar for a food and a dollar for a juice, which is twenty-one dollars. I went to Mr. Tillett, who the Prime Minister of this nation—I am looking into the camera because I am so mad to see that I have so many trust in this prime minister of this nation and now they put me in this situation. It makes my heart is crying.”

Duane Moody
“So sir, you are saying that this twenty-one dollars that you got—you and your workers got—is what they are calling where the money went to you?”

Phillip Henry
“I am going to say this to you. Mr. Tillett well aware of that. Everybody knows in the streets, street vendors don’t carry receipt book. What is the U.D.P. doing trying to destroy their own people? This is sick because I went back to the vendor and I distinctly asked him for a receipt. The vendor wrote me a receipt for twenty-one dollars and I went following work and I took the receipt to Mr. Tillett. He told me to take it to Mr. Davis. The council has a policy that if you are working for the council through twelve and one and a councillor approve that you should eat, you should eat.”

Duane Moody
“So sir, what are you saying? That you were never responsible for issuing out any funds belonging to the City Council or anything of that sort that may have led to the under-depositing?”

Phillip Henry
“Let me tell you this. I don’t want to say it but I’m going to say it. the prime minister, I have love for you but you have sent the wrong man to City Hall who are telling you a hundred thousand lies. I am not involved. I don’t work at finance; I am a traffic officer. The police department went to my house and went into my home with no search warrant and went searching under bed and in closet for me. I am really pissed of I am telling you. You know why I am pissed off? Because let me tell you, I was against the People’s United Party brother but yer what my heart is as a strong Belizean flying with the flag over my head, I am no more longer a member of this United Democratic Party.”

The two others suspended from CitCo are financial director, Duane Davis and his assistant Kiran Bhudrani.