7 News Belize

Mayor Wagner Stands By Kaya
posted (January 18, 2022)
But while the Mayor may be on the outs with some of his young councilors, Kaya Cattouse isn't one of them.

In fact, she's the councilor who was rewarded when Micah Goodin was stripped of the Sanitation portfolio. This afternoon the Mayor told us that Cattouse can handle just about anything. He also answered concerns about whether or not the councilor who just recently signed a pro-contract to ride in the U.S. has one foot out of the council's door.

Cherisse Halsall:
"My last question, it's a two-parter and it has to do with councillor Kaya Cattouse. She is now the councillor with the responsibility for sanitation and the question arises, her family owns a trucking company and we know that the council's trucks are in a state of disrepair. Is there any conflict of interest there with her family owning that particular resource?"

Bernard Wagner, Mayor, Belize City
"I don't see any conflict there, as I told you we have a system in place that whenever we are getting supplies it goes to the finance director, Mr. Carillo, and it has to come with 3 different quotes. Mr. Carillo execute his office in a very transparent manner. I am very pleased with the work that he has been doing and he requires that all supply purchases must come with 3 quotations and that is so. If in the event Mr. Cattouse falls in that category, it is all up to the finance director. I don't delve into those matters."

Cherisse Halsall:
"And then Sir with the additional responsibility that Kaya has been given people wonder if she is being set up for something, maybe a deputy mayoral run and the reason that that question is raised, because Kaya Cattouse has told the media that she is not seeking re-election that she has been granted that professional contract and has one foot out the door, so why give her such a heavy responsibility such as sanitation?"

Bernard Wagner, Mayor, Belize City
"Kaya, I must say have proven over the short 10 months that she can take on great challenges. She is very analytical, she listens, she analyses and then she speaks. And she has that personality or that type of character that most resident would want in a councillor, would want in an area rep, she demonstrates so much humility and want to serve the people. There are others who pretend to be a servant of the people. There are others who pretend to be service to the people, but I must say that Kaya has demonstrated that she is able to take on great challenges and I am so glad that we can put for the first time ever, I believe, a female at the helm of the sanitation department. We have been speaking so much about women empowerment. Many times, I walk in city hall and I see one woman on that wall of honour and that is past mayor Zenaida Moya. We want to begin to change that narrative, we want to empower our women and Kaya has performed extremely well in just 10 months and so I believe that she will do well at the sanitation department and help us drive our mandate and our objectives for 2022."

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