The Mayor of Belize City, Bernard Wagner is expected to take the stand tomorrow in the Supreme Court in a case brought by former City administrator Candice Miller. It's a high stakes battle before Justice Courtney Abel; she's suing the council for just about half a million dollars for the wrongful termination of her employment contract, and the council is countersuing her for a million dollars for dereliction of duty which they claim left them liable for a million dollar default judgement.
That default judgement from Belize Waste control was one of the grounds for her dismissal - and it dominated cross examinations today.
Miller took the stand, and attorney for the City Councillor Anthony Sylvestre pressed her on whether she had done her duty in bringing this pending matter urgently to the Mayor's attention. Miller said she did all she could - but, at a certain point, was directed that she was blocked out of certain duties. Sylvester pressed the point that she had not followed up with sufficient due diligence, leaving the council in a million dollar hole.
Current City Administrator Stephanie Lindo - Garbutt also took the stand - and was pressed by Miller's attorney Magali Perdomo on whether the council had retained an attorney to deal with the matter.
The Mayor is expected to take the stand tomorrow where he will be grilled on this subject. Miller testified that she discussed the pending judgement with him - so tomorrow, we'll see what he says in sworn testimony.
Justice Abel will have to decide whether Miller's contract was justifiably terminated on grounds of gross dereliction of duty - and the case may just come down to which side he believes.
Email
Print