BELIZE CITY, Tues. May 5, 2020– On Friday, Mayor Bernard Wagner appeared on Love FM’s COVID-19 Update talk show and was asked a series of questions concerning the effects that the virus has had on his City Council and, more importantly, what they have been doing to aid the residents of Belize during this time.
Based on his analysis, Mayor Wagner disclosed that as recently as February, the council was collecting revenue that averaged $400,000 weekly. Within the first week of April, however, that figure had been cut in half, and by the 18th of the month, had decreased to a mere $12,000 for that week. This, along with a loss of a fellow employee to COVID-19, and the demands to meet payroll, certainly posed a collective strain on the Mayor and his team. However, the council has not only managed to retain all 400+ members of staff, but has also kept 120 essential workers operational and with full pay to provide services to the entire city.
The remainder of the staff have been receiving half their salary as of April, with the other half being deferred until the council has regained its financial stability. This was decided through a vote by the Mayor and the managers of the council, and was made possible through the Government’s approval of the use of the subvention which was tied to the previous municipal bond floated under Darrell Bradley’s leadership.
When asked about the council’s additional contributions to the city, Mayor Wagner cited an extensive list. Since April, property tax payments have been paused until June and will resume with a discount of up to 15% for property owners. Also, vendors, peddlers and merchants have been relieved of their rent expenses for three months. The Mayor even forfeited his own salary to ensure that departments responsible for sanitation, works and the cemeteries can remain functional, a sacrifice which he says he was happy to make for his staff and the residents. When quantified, these contributions amount to roughly two million dollars provided by the City Council.
Mayor Wagner also briefly discussed the pantry program which was deployed by the government and several area representatives to provide food to families who are struggling due to the effects of the pandemic. The Mayor finds it unfortunate that the City Council was not given a seat at the table to participate in the program and to be involved when other major decisions were made by the National Oversight Committee during the State of Emergency:
“We could be an integral part of the decision making because we know our city. We know each and every street…I believe we run a fair and straightforward council and could have done the job. We have the resources, the trucks, the personnel, but I won’t lament on that,” said Wagner.
Despite not being included, however, the Council did conduct their own pantry program, and on a tight budget at that. Mayor Wagner says the program was not publicized via advertisements, because that is not the way things should be handled when it comes to supporting the community.
Regarding a way forward, Mayor Wagner says the city’s hope lies in the spirit of entrepreneurship. He said small business owners are the key to revamping our economy, and it is up to the Government, the Central Bank and other financial institutions to assist entrepreneurs by reducing collateral for loans, implementing attainable financial aids and taking the risk to uplift our business sector. He believes that this is a feat that requires the effort of everyone, including the municipal government:
“Small business is the key to getting out of this rut that we are in after the pandemic, and it requires Central Bank taking a bold step and getting all the banks on board. It has to be people-focused and entrepreneurship-focused. We have to do it together,” he said.
On the health front, to avert the risk of exposure to COVID-19, the City Council has been employing proactive measures since February, such as stocking up on sanitization products and implementing social distancing protocols. Those who do not provide essential services have been working from home where possible, and last week the entire City Hall was sanitized, as well as Albert Street and Regent Street. Mayor Wagner says this initiative will be extended to other streets throughout the city, and the Council and the entire country should continue to work with the Ministry of Health to ensure our country remains on the path to recovery.
At the conclusion of the interview, Mayor ended on the reassuring note that we will survive this pandemic with unity, just as we have in the past: “If we all come together, we will get through this together” said Mayor Wagner.
Feature photo: Mayor Bernard Wagner