The Mayor said that the loans provided to them by the Central Government, loans that the Council has not even tried to repay, were to pay the owners of Cox Waste Management.  Yet it was reported that the loan on October 4, 2007 was requested by the Mayor just to make the Council’s payroll.  It was also reported that the Financial Officer of the Council, Vallan Hyde, has left the country and that there are monies missing.  John August did not deny any of these reports.

He also neglected to explain why it is that the Council owes money to various business houses in Cayo, has a burgeoning bank overdraft and has failed to pay Clemente Cruz for firing him under terms contrary to the Labour Laws of Belize.  Mr. August can’t say that the money is going in salaries to the employees of the town, for since taking office the Council has fired 60% of its workforce.

The PUP Government provides the Town Council with a monthly subvention of $31,000, the same amount that the previous UDP-administered Council was receiving; and the same amount that was allocated to the Council when the PUP was administering it.  When the Mayor sent the loan request to the Prime Minister, the PM could have easily rejected it, knowing full well that the Council has no intentions of paying back a penny.  But PM Musa is a compassionate leader and appreciated that the employees of the Council, who still have a job, have families and need to be paid for the work they have done. 

So the question remains, where has the money gone?  Residents of the Twin Towns are demanding to know.  They realize that John August is yet another example of an incompetent UDP politician, who talked well on the campaign trail, but has proven to be incapable of running the affairs of the people.  It is time for John August to get the job done or resign.