Employee alleges victimisation by Belmopan CITCO

Across the country, the winning United Democratic Party candidates are moving into the offices of city councils and town boards. But just two hours after the new Belmopan City Council walked into city hall on Thursday morning, one employee, Vincent “Tommy” Pascascio was served with this letter:

“Dear Tommy:
I am instructed to inform you that, with immediate effect, you are to proceed on Administrative Leave (with pay) pending a review of your employment contract by the new Belmopan City Council. You will be advised in due course of their decision.” The letter is signed by city administrator Melanie Escalante.

Tonight Pascascio alleges that he is being politically victimised because of an old beef between himself and a member of the new management team. During our election night broadcast following the United Democratic Party’s victory at the municipal polls, Deputy Party Leader Michael Finnegan had assured employees throughout Belize that there would be no victimisation by his party.

Michael Finnegan, United Democratic Party
?I want to promise the public out there, I no wah Dickie Bradley dem … I mean that the U.D.P. must not victimise nobody and I noh wah seh it now and when people come to me I wah holla, but this and that and then trick the people dem. I will publicly make known that weh unu do in terms of victimising dem people, yuh dah me party, I support me party, I wah reconsider me position, but that I do not agree with.?

Ann Marie Williams, Election Panellist
?Because if you victimise them they won?t forget.?

Michael Finnegan
?You know, we need to move from that level of politics and move forward. People have a right to be what they want to be.?

When News Five contacted the Belmopan Office this afternoon, Mayor Simeon Lopez was unavailable and the council’s new manager, Rodney Neal, declined to comment beyond stating that the Pascascio matter is under legal review.