But Goodin isn't the only councilor with difficult questions to answer,
also put in the hot seat by that online article is councilor Mike
Novelo.
It quotes the minutes of the council's most recent meeting which state
quote: "Michael Novelo, made a motion supported by Councilor Goodin for
the Council to lease the former Pier One establishment at BTL Park to a
businessman for the purpose of opening an Italian restaurant for five
years." End quote
The controversy stems from the fact that Pier One had been designated
by the Council's manifesto as a future hub for young people.
We asked Councilor Goodin about the as decision to scrap that manifesto
promise in favor of Novelo's motion and he told us that the man at odds
with the original plan was the mayor. Here's how he explained it:
Cherisse Halsall
"We've discussed other allegations made against councilor Mike Novelo,
now this has to do with Pier 1 which the council manifesto had stated
would have been converted into a hub for young people but that was
never done. What's the status with that?"
Micah Goodin - Councilor, Belize City
"I believe it was councilor Deannie who had raised the issue of Pier 1
becoming a student hub but I can vividly recall the mayor sharing in
caucus that he believed it having it has a hub for students would not
be a good fit. He shed some details which I don't wish to disclose
publicly but he felt that the space would have been misused by students
so he did not support the idea and so he had requested that the council
use the space for something else that would generate revenue. I recall
councilor Novelo in caucus shared several proposals by residents of the
city, I believe on of those proposals was for Pier 1 to be used for
some to sell pastries, another proposal was for it to be gym, I think
the third proposal was for it to be a night club and the final proposal
that he received was for it to become a restaurant where families could
meet and no alcohol would be served and it would have that sort of
environment, especially for children, so that is what I vividly
recall."
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