BELMOPAN, Fri. Feb. 12, 2021– On Friday, February 12, 2021, the Belize Mayors’ Association held its meeting for local mayors who have reached the end of their terms, at the Bull Frog Inn, Belmopan.

At this meeting, the Ministry of Local Government awarded prizes to those mayors who will not be seeking to be re-elected in the upcoming municipal elections, including former Orange Walk Town mayor, Hon. Kevin Bernard, who is currently the Minister of Youth, Sports and E-governance.

The awardees were Mayor Khalid Belisle of the Belmopan City Council, who has been serving as mayor since he replaced incumbent Simeon López in 2015; Mayor Daniel Guerrero of the San Pedro Town Council, serving from 2012 to 2021; Mayor Ashton Mckenzie of the Punta Gorda Town Council, serving from 2015 to 2021; Mayor Marconi Sosa of the Benque Viejo Town Council, serving from 2018 to 2021; and Hon. Kevin Bernard, who served as mayor of Orange Walk Town from 2012 to 2020 and now serves in the National Assembly.

Hon. Bernard thanked the mayors on behalf of the Minister of Local Government, Hon. Oscar Requeña, and extended his best wishes to the mayors and the association, further reiterating the government’s support for the implementation and completion of vital municipal development initiatives that have been on the table for years.

Via correspondence read by the Director of Local Government, UNICEF also used this opportunity to thank the mayors for their cooperation, dedication, and commitment in the execution of the Sustainable Child-Friendly Municipalities Initiative. UNICEF gave reassurance that it continues to support the program and the welfare of children in Belize.