“But not...” – it’s a simple little phrase that children
used...maybe...20 years ago...when they wanted to pretend for a few seconds
that something bad had happened when it hadn’t. So, for example, on a
dry, sunny day, they’d say, “It’s raining outside...but not...”
Well that’s kind of what’s happening at City Hall where three employees
have been suspended...but not.
As we reported the councilors met in caucus on Tuesday and took the decision
to suspend three employees named in the special audit of the under-depositing
practice at City Hall. Well, as we’ve found out, it’s one thing
to take the decision, it’s quite another to implement it.
Here’s how it works: decision making may be the prerogative of the councilors,
but implementation is the job of the city administrator and under the laws of
Belize, she takes orders from the Mayor. The Mayor’s not in office and
while her Deputy Dion Leslie is acting, there was no official handing over or
formal vacating of the seat – in fact when we spoke to Leslie last week,
he wasn’t even in the Mayor’s office.
So the City Administrator, Kiran Vanjani has not sent a letter suspended the
special audit three – and our information suggests that may have to do
with the fact that she has not gotten the go ahead from the mayor Zenaida Moya.
Until such time – whenever that is - Director of Finance Dwain Davis,
his former assistant Kiran Bhudrani and another employee Phillip Henry continue
to be on full duty, full pay – and we can confirm that at least two of
them, Bhudrani and Henry are still at work. Davis, according to reports, was
out but not as the result of a suspension.
Now here’s the interesting part, attorney Hubert Elrington has written
to the council advising them that the suspensions are wrong. Now here’s
the interesting part: Elrington wrote the letter on behalf of his clients Henry
and Bhojwani - although that same Elrington was retained as the council’s
attorney one month ago.
We can’t figure that one out, but what we can tell you is that the council’s
official position is that they have taken the decision to suspend the three
employees; the decision stands, but it simply not been effected yet. When will
it be? Your guess and our guess seems to be as good as theirs. We’ll keep
you posted.
Email
Print