But then, was this the intent of the legislators when they created the Act? If this was the intent of the legislators when they created the Act then it means the Councilors are the Boss and the Mayor is subject to their whims, fancies, prejudices, biases, and so forth. It would also mean that she is a puppet, and it would explain all the actions of the current Belize City Council. For the voters of Belize City this could be traumatic and shocking, not to say difficult to digest. A strictly literal interpretation of the Act, based on Esquivel’s interpretation, appears to be saying that the Mayor is hamstrung. She cannot do anything in the Council if the Council does not agree. It also means that she is not the leader and would then have to go the Council for approval for just about everything she wants to do. This is the reality at 109 North Front Street, a sad state of affairs.

The Council, however, could not be conducting itself as if it were the Boss if the party did not inform the Councilors that they are in charge. The party went about ensuring that Esquivel’s interpretation prevailed through the assignment of portfolios. Each portfolio assignment gave the respective Councilor ultimate control and decision-making authority over his/her area of responsibility, thus cutting the legs from under the Mayor. That is what led to the breakdown of order at the Council.

Imagine, in our first show on radio we heard a Councilor instructing Council employees to act contrary to a lawful instruction given by the Mayor to one of the employees. One of the problems with the Councilor’s action is that it led to the workers not enforcing the law as they are required to do.

Imagine, in the second show we learned how a Councilor wound up with a council firearm bought for Council security purposes. This could not have happened without the Councilor in charge of the Security section knowing about it. In fact, the incident became more despicable when it became clear that the Mayor and her other councilors and the City Administrator did not know that the Councilor reportedly had the weapon from early April of this year.

Imagine, in the next segment we shall hear Esquivel’s daughter talk about her portfolio, money that should belong to her portfolio, and why she gave instruction to the Financial Controller not to proceed with paying for adverts, despite the Mayor’s instruction, because it is her portfolio.

Clearly, the Mayor has no authority and the Councilors do not need to tell her what they do with their portfolios. She has to go the Council for permission for a simple thing as putting an advertisement in a newspaper; and, if she gives an instruction they are not in agreement with, then too bad! They can reverse it. It happened more than once as noted above and it shall happen again. It happens with the blessings of the party’s hierarchy. That is how they keep the Mayor in check.

But voters, did you elect the Mayor to run the Council or did you elect the Councilors to be the Mayor’s Boss? There are several other examples of how the Councilors use their portfolios and control it to neutralize the authority of the Mayor, authority if she has any. Just remember, Mayor, the Act does not mention portfolios nor does it mention caucus decisions. It talks about decisions of public meetings.