By Omar Silva

Editor: National Perspective Bz – Digital 2024

www.nationalperspectivebz.com

Belize City: Thursday 5th December 2024

For over two decades, Belize City has grappled with a recurring garbage collection crisis, a glaring symbol of chronic mismanagement by successive city administrations. Today, residents are once again enduring the stench of overflowing streets while City Hall scrambles for excuses. This is not just a garbage problem—it is a leadership crisis that demands immediate and decisive action.

A Decade-Old Problem Festers

Belize Waste Control (BWC), the company tasked with managing the city’s garbage, is owed nearly $1 million by the Belize City Council. This financial quagmire has persisted for years, with City Hall perpetually in arrears. Residents are left asking: Why does the council continually find itself unable to meet this basic obligation?

The answer lies in a pattern of poor fiscal planning, compounded by a leadership that prioritizes election-year rhetoric over sustainable governance. Mayor Bernard Wagner’s administration epitomizes this dysfunction, boasting financial stability before elections only to shift blame to taxpayers afterward. If the finances were ever "better than before," as the mayor claimed, where did the money go?

Excuses Won’t Clean Our Streets

Residents are tired of hollow excuses and blame-shifting. The mayor has repeatedly cited delinquent property taxes as the reason for City Hall’s financial woes. But where is the accountability for the council’s spending? Why hasn’t a robust system been implemented to collect outstanding taxes efficiently? And why does the council seem incapable of cutting wasteful expenditures to prioritize essential services like garbage collection?

The recent designation of a rookie councillor, Kaya Cattouse, to handle the sanitation portfolio, underscores the administration’s lack of seriousness in addressing this crisis. When asked for a solution timeline, her vague responses only added to the public’s frustration. Leadership is not about passing the buck; it’s about taking ownership.

Garbage Piles Up, Trust Breaks Down

The situation is more than an eyesore—it is a health hazard. Piles of trash rot in neighbourhoods like Port Loyola, emitting noxious Odors and attracting vermin. Residents are forced to navigate streets filled with garbage while City Hall dithers. The council’s failure to address this issue undermines public trust and calls into question its ability to manage the city’s affairs.

Patchwork Planning Isn’t Enough

Adding insult to injury, the city’s roads are also in dire straits following recent rains. With an estimated $1.6 million needed for patchwork repairs, the city administrator has openly admitted that the coffers are empty. This comes as the council seeks a bailout from a central government already struggling to manage its own billion-dollar budget.

If the council cannot manage its existing resources effectively, what guarantees do residents have that any bailout funds won’t be squandered in the same cycle of inefficiency and mismanagement?

Time for Accountability and Vision

This crisis should be a wake-up call for Mayor Wagner and his administration. Belize City deserves leaders who prioritize essential services, practice sound financial management, and communicate transparently with the public. The following steps are urgently needed:

1. Audit and Transparency: The City Council must release detailed financial reports showing how funds are allocated. An independent audit should assess the city’s fiscal practices.
2. Revenue Optimization: Implement aggressive yet fair measures to collect outstanding property taxes. Offer incentives for compliance and enforce penalties for delinquency.
3. Public-Private Partnerships: Explore innovative solutions like public-private partnerships for waste management to reduce reliance on BWC and spread the financial burden.
4. Long-Term Planning: Develop a comprehensive waste management strategy that includes recycling, waste-to-energy initiatives, and community education.
5. Leadership Overhaul: If the current administration cannot rise to the challenge, residents must demand new leadership that prioritizes competence over political posturing.

The People Deserve Better

As Belize approaches its next municipal elections, voters must hold their leaders accountable. This is not just about garbage—it is about the kind of city we want to live in. Do we settle for excuses and mismanagement, or do we demand a council that works for the people?

Belize City’s residents are resilient, but their patience is not infinite. Mayor Wagner and his administration must act swiftly and decisively to resolve this crisis—or face the consequences at the ballot box.

The time for excuses is over. Belize City deserves better.