Mayors Association Requests Fair Pay and Post-Service Benefits

They’re familiar faces at every ceremony and community event, the people we call ‘Your Worship’ and ‘Lord Mayor.’ They oversee millions in taxpayer dollars and often look like powerful, high paid public figures. But behind the titles and the spotlight, Belize’s mayors carry a heavy load. The long hours, the public pressure, and the political battles take a toll, and when their term ends, many face challenges most of us never see. Tonight, Shane Williams takes us inside the Mayors Association’s concerns, and the real life struggles that follow life in public office.

 

Shane Williams, Reporting

Elected politicians aren’t usually the people we rush to feel sorry for. So, when word got out that Belize City councilors are pushing for a major bump in their monthly stipend, a lot of eyebrows went up. At first glance, it sounded like another political grab for cash. But those councilors take home about twenty‑eight hundred dollars a month, a little over half of what San Pedro Town councilors earn, even though San Pedro is a much smaller municipality. Minister of Local Government Oscar Requena says the request is still under review, but before anything else, the council has to show that the needs of Belize City residents come first.

 

Oscar Requena, Minister of Local Government

“Certainly I am aware of the request. I have not seen it. But certainly we are going to review it. There is going to be discussion on this matter and at the end of the day, we have to ensure that the residents of Belize City or any other municipality for that matter that they are taken into account first and foremost, that those services that the residents of these municipalities require that those are met first and foremost before we can consider any increase.” 

 

The debate is about whether mayors and council leaders are being paid fairly for what is essentially a full‑time job. Take Belize City Mayor Bernard Wagner. Before entering public service, he earned a six‑figure salary as a senior banking officer. Today, his pay slip shows a base salary of five thousand, five hundred dollars a month, plus allowances for phone, expenses, and his own vehicle, leaving him with just over six thousand, one hundred dollars after taxes. To the average Belizean, that may sound like a lot. But for people qualified to manage millions in public funds, it’s a steep pay cut. Wagner is now in his final year as mayor, but he’s still leading the push for better compensation for those who will take up the job after him. Ultimately, any salary changes rest with the Ministry of Local Government.

 

Oscar Requena

“The Ministry of Local government has responsibility and oversight for these matters. So yes, they can make the request. We will have to sit down with them and look at it and obviously engage in discussions and find a way to move forward.”

 

Paul Lopez

Are mayors and councilors across the country paid a set salary or is it in accordance with the finances of their towns and cities?

 

Oscar Requena

“It varies from municipality to municipality and of course a lot of it has to do with the available finances of these municipalities.”

 

Another major issue for the Mayors Association is what happens after leaders leave office. Mayor Earl Trapp of San Ignacio and Santa Elena has spent nearly twenty-three years serving his municipality, as councilor, deputy mayor, and mayor. Yet when he steps down or loses an election, he walks away with nothing. No pension, no benefits. And he’s not alone. That’s the reality facing every municipal leader who has given years of service without any post‑service support. Shane Williams for News Five.