Mayor Bradley says he’s still unsure of Councilor Chang’s role in immigration scandal

Eric Chang

Councilor Eric Chang has been in the hot seat in respect of the immigration scandal. Chang allegedly had a role in the passport issued to Won Hong Kim, the South Korean fugitive. Chang was in Taipei when the scandal broke. Kim, who was in a jail at the same time in Taipei, had obtained Belizean citizenship and passport.  It was months later that Chang returned to Belize and by that time, he had been stripped of the deputy mayorship. The media has hounded Chang for a statement and Belize City Mayor, Darrell Bradley, has also asked Chang to make a public statement. But he has so far failed to do so. Mayor Bradley told News Five today that he himself is still not sure what role Chang played in the immigration scandal. He believes that it will have a political cost to Chang and that the issue has affected Chang’s relationship with some of the other councilors. According to the mayor, the scandal has an impact on the responsibilities he now assigns to Chang.

Darrell Bradley, Belize City Mayor

Darrell Bradley

“When he had come back, I had a very frank conversation with him and actually encouraged him to make some sort of a public statement and to exonerate himself. Explain to people that you were away. Of course it is fair that you have family in Taiwan, they live in Taiwan so you have invested interest in going back there regularly. Sometimes being in public office it is unfair. You have something of a duty and a responsibility, even when you are saying that you are innocent and nothing on to what has happened. You have a responsibility to explain to members of the public clearly and to make certain public statements because you hold public office. And I have tried to encourage him in that direction because I think it boards well for public confidence not only in himself but also at the City Council we don’t want there to be any cloud in our administration. We want to move forward very effectively and one hundred percent and doing the peoples work and attending to the people’s business. It’s still my hope that he would make some sort of statement and answer very pertinent questions that the public have.”

Reporter

“But maybe if we could ask you if you are sure now after speaking to him that he has no role in the immigration scandal?”

Darrell Bradley

“Well this is the question; I am the mayor and I still am not sure. I have spoken to him and he made certain representation to me and I want to ensure that the person not only as a politician, not only as a mayor, but as a citizen of Belize. When you are talking about immigration, it is your birthright; it affects something that is very close to our hearts. I think that Belizean nationality is the best in the world. It has a certain value and potency. It’s part of our birthright. And so if there is any issue there, I want to know that the person right next to me in my team is one hundred percent acting in accordance with his oath of office and his ethical principles. And this is why I think that he should make certain public statements. And I think, and also several of the councilors have that same feeling, we were very much adamant on an agenda of anti-corruption and an agenda of good governance. We have promoted certain things in the city council which we believe to our heart and we want to make sure that every member of our organization, staff and members adhere to that.”