And earlier this week in an interview - the mayor, who is in his final term - says he is determined to fix it before he leaves - and for that he will need Central Government to agree to a garbage fee for residents - because, as it is, the waste control contract us just not sustainable:

Bernard Wagner, Belize City Mayor
"We never had no issue with no contract until this specific...but it all comes back to the sustainability of this program."

Reporter
"Speak about sustainability, you're talking about opting out of the contract, or reducing the service form Belize Waste control?"

Bernard Wagner, Belize City Mayor
"Either or either."

"In my view and I have always maintained that it is an unsustainable proposition we have where we have a growing city, a growing city, the city its now expanding into Belama Phase 4, 5...Jane Usher, the Gungulung, that was not here 10 years ago, 20 years ago when previous mayors had to grapple with this same fiscal burden here. And people are really generating a lot of garbage, the city is generating tremendous garbage. So it's only smart and incumbent that some measure of consideration of a grange fee. Why is ithat all the other municipalities, residents who live in Orange Walk, residents who live in Dangriga, who. residents who live in Punta Gorda Are required to pay a garbage fee. Why? Why is that so? I don't understand why. You all creating even more garbage."

"Every rural are away garbage fee, why is Belize City, so...? I'm not saying it will be a significant fee, but if at least you could pay a five dollars a month. Add it to your property tax, the annual rate if it's a five dollars rate for the year, five tis 12 is 60 dollars."

"I would really try to get this done. I want to leave with not having another council having to deal with this matter. That would be my best send off. (laughs)"

"And that is my position on this situation and fixing this situation permanently, what we are doing every time da wah lee temporary fix. Every tike we di plug hole, we di plug hole, but the water still di come een. Eena di boat. We need fi fix it. Permanently."

The Mayor and the Prime Minister did meet today - but the details of the meeting have not been announced. We have received reliable reports from City Hall that - despite the PM's intervention - up to yesterday - Waste Control was still not picking up all of the City's garbage.