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On Tuesday we brought you an interview with PUP Stalwart Keith Yearwood, who claimed he was fired by Mayor Bernard Wagner for failing to wear a face mask at the traffic department.

The former Assistant Parks manager told us that he was a faithful PUP soldiers, and expressed disbelief that Wagner could fire him without consulting the PUP hierarchy.

But According to Mayor Wagner the only hierarchy he adheres to his that of the City Council. He says Yearwood’s firing was less about a failure to follow protocol and more about Yearwood’s tendency to bully the little man. Here’s how he laid out the case earlier today. 

Bernard Wagner - Mayor, Belize City
"Well you see I am wearing a facemask and over the weekend prior to opening up back to the managers along with the city administrator, we came up with certain policies. It’s a new norm here in the city it’s a new norm worldwide, globally that you must when you are doing business wear a mask and that was clearly outlined in the managers WhatsApp group message and I was at the traffic department I made a spot check on Monday and the staff came in not wearing a mask but the issue that I had prior to him not wearing a mask is his attitude towards the little worker. The security guard, that was tasked to ensure that the policy we had implemented was being carried out and all the security guard was telling them was listen you cannot enter the City Hall. I have a job to do and you cannot enter. I’m hearing this now and I'm just listening and then he pushed the security guard and said you don’t know who I am. I am a manager of this council and that doesn’t sit with me. I don’t care who you are. You could be a PUP, UDP it does not sit with me. We have to hold our managers accountable and to have when I look at the News that he’s speaking about being for the small man. No, you were bullying a small man you were bullying. So don’t tell me that you care about the small people. No, you can’t be bullying people."