The procedure to discipline Mayor Moya-Flowers started in the first week of October after she was charged criminally for mishandling city funds. But it has nothing to do with those charges; rather, the charges against her are based on the explosive interview she gave to the media after she was arraigned on that charge. Now, if the expulsion stands - that is, if the mayor does not appeal it - it will have no effect on her pubic post; she will remain the Mayor of Belize City. And while an expulsion seems so final, in the topsy-turvy world of politics, all things are negotiable. For historical context we note that in the early 90's the UDP expelled Hubert Elrington, BQ Pitts and Derek Aikman for their intransigent position on the Maritime Areas act. They joined with Phillip Goldson in the NABR and formed a coalition government with the UDP. In 1998, Aikman was called back into the fold as a UDP candidate while BQ Pitts is presently considered a UDP in good standing.

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U.D.P. boots first female mayor to the curb

Zenaida Moya Flowers

There is a major political development to report tonight. News Five has been reliably informed by an impeccable source that Mayor Zenaida Moya Flowers has been expelled from the United Democratic Party following a decision by the three member Ethics and Integrity Committee. The Mayor’s troubles with PM Dean Barrow are well known and were exacerbated when she was criminally charged last year. For all intents and purposes, there is little practical significance and legal minds say she cannot be stripped of her office as mayor but she cannot expect to enjoy party support. Moya Flowers has thirty days to appeal, but it is not known what her next move will be and the question everyone is asking is if she is an independent mayor. News Five’s Marion Ali reports.

Marion Ali, Reporting

It made the news like hot cake off a baking sheet on October first, 2009 when Belize City Mayor, Zenaida Moya Flowers was arrested and charged with twenty-two counts of Uttering a False document and Failure to comply with City Council Regulations. But in similar fashion, the words she uttered to the media that same day after exiting the courtroom would eventually haunt the mayor.

Zenaida Moya Flowers, Belize City Mayor (October 1, 2009)

“Everybody knows that I do not have a cozy relationship with the Prime Minister, with the leader of the party. They know that fully well. This is not something new man. This is something that we all know from the convention. Zenaida is not somebody that is a puppet. We all that know I am not a puppet. Everybody know dat Zenaida dah noh wah puppet. And from the convention day they wanted to ensure that I was not the mayoral candidate for that party. But the people had their say and the people had their way and I have been elected and I will ensure that I continue serving the people of Belize City. I feel it that somebody doesn’t have balls when they are going to come after me when I’m on my bed delivering a child.”

Well, two days later on October third the United Democratic Party voted at a National Party Council meeting to expel her for the comments she made about her fallout with Prime Minister Dean Barrow. Mayor Moya Flowers did not take it lying down and challenged the constitutionality of that meeting and asked the court to grant her an injunction to prevent the expulsion. In December of 2009 the court awarded the Mayor two of three injunctions against her party. Justice Minnet Hafiz ruled that the United Democratic Party could no longer exclude Moya Flowers from attending its National Party Council meetings. But the ruling, in the words of the U.D.P.’s legal advisor, Michael Young, “You may score a goal, but lose the game.” Well it appears that the party has won the game because News Five has received reliable information that Moya Flowers has been served with a letter notifying of her expulsion as a member of the U.D.P. This decision came from the party’s Ethics and Integrity Committee which met two weeks ago and decided to remove her from the UDP. This means that Moya Flowers is no longer serving under the U.D.P., but remains as the elected mayor of Belize City. What she chooses to do now is yet to be seen. Marion Ali for news five.

Mayor Moya was at her office City Hall when we called at four-thirty this evening but we were informed that she was not taking any calls pertaining to her expulsion.

PM to Mayor Moya Flowers: “It’s Probably For The Best”

That came powerfully to head on October First 2009 when the mayor, facing criminal charges for the mismanagement of city funds raged against her party leader in an explosive interview. The UDP found that she had implied that the PM has "sicced" the DPP after her - which would be unlawful. That was the basis of the charge against her and the Ethics Committee found her guilty of making an untrue suggestion of misconduct against the party leader. That was the basis for her expulsion and today the PM said, it was never personal, but like most relationships gone awry, it's probably for the best:

PM Dean Barrow
"The Party was not able to take into account at all the criminal charges against her. The Party could only act on basis of what she said about me which was more than a insult. I was accused of having perverted the course of justice. That as I understand it formed the basis of the proceedings."

Jules Vasquez
"Is it for you a desirable outcome as leader that Zenaida Moya no longer be a part of the UDP? With what certain members of the Party seem to feel to be her known transgressions?"

PM Dean Barrow
"I believe that for some time now the paths have diverged. I believe that for some time now the Mayor has been going in a different direction from the Party and I had not seen anything that suggested reconciliation was possible. Presumably, if there can be evidence produced of a genuine earnest desire to begin to act in a way that's consistent with the principles of the Party, to begin to subject herself to Party discipline, to begin to adhere to Party principles, it may not be too late. If that doesn't happen then I would have to say that the decision is as it should be."

Jules Vasquez
"Will the party be instructing the councilors who remain UDP's - all ten - will it be instructing them to treat her as might be said in court, a 'hostile witness?' To treat her as an adversary, as an opposing party within the Council's affairs?"

PM Dean Barrow
"Not at all. The idea is for all of them to in fact discharge their mandate which is to act in the best interest of the people of the City."

Mayor Moya-Flowers has 30 days to appeal the decision of the Ethics Committee to the National Party Council. There is no indication that she will or won't do that. It is notable that The Party General who has been the Mayor's only vocal supporter, Michael Finnegan is out of the country recovering from prostate cancer.

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PM SAYS MAYOR’S EXPULSION FROM THE PARTY IS NOT PERSONAL

Prime Minister Dean Barrow

“It’s a decision that has been reached after going through all the internal processes of the party that provide for fair play. The whole thing was set in train when there was a report made to the party that the Mayor has said certain things which were tantamount to accusing me as the leader of the party as having perverted the course of justice. She accused me of committing a crime in effect by perverting the course of justice, by interfering with the course of justice and directing that she be charged and prosecuted. That is a serious thing. If I had indeed done that; if I had indeed be guilty of that, that would have been a ground for me to have to resign my office or at least to have been charged with some kind of impropriety. So, that is where the whole thing started.”

Prime Minister Barrow says that even though the Mayor’s comments in October were directed to him, her expulsion is nothing personal but simply an action to “preserve party discipline”.

Prime Minister Dean Barrow

“No, and this was as I said a question of a process taking place within the party, a process that was put in train by what the mayor said and what the mayor did after she was charged criminally. The party felt that it needed to respond to that; it needed to take action; it needed to preserve party discipline and that is what happened. It is not anything personal it is institutional and it is the party acting in a way that mass parties are supposed to act in order to preserve their authority and to maintain discipline over members.”

The Mayor has thirty days to appeal the decision of the Ethics and Integrity Committee to the National Party Council. While it remains to be seen whether she will, the Mayor’s position at City Hall will not be affected by her expulsion.

Prime Minister Dean Barrow

“No, the decision of the ethics and the integrity committee stands then she would be operating as an independent mayor or she joins another political party as a Mayor representing that other political party. But there is nothing inherently unworkable about the mayor not being from the same political than the rest of the council, we have had that in Punta Gorda; we have had that I believe in other instances. Nothing that is fundamentally wrong with such an arrangement; it is perhaps not the ideal arrangement but they both have obligations; the mayor and the councilors of the Belize City council to try to work together for the good of the city and nothing should change that.”

And while the action may be considered by many as harmful to the image of the United Democratic Party, Prime Minister Barrow says it won’t.

Prime Minister Dean Barrow

“Not in any fundamental way; of course, it will be a nine day wonder and even thereafter. I am sure the mayor ahs her supporters inside the party who will not like the decision but a mass party is perfectly capable of absorbing that sort of thing. I don’t see this as in any way interfering with the ability of the United Democratic Party’s to function effectively as a mass party and it certainly will not affect the ability of United Democratic Party as the party in central government to get on with the people’s business and the development agenda.”

Zenaida will appeal expulsion from the UDP

zenaida moya

One week ago, on Friday, the United Democratic Party’s Ethics and Integrity Committee took the decision to expel the city’s first female mayor. Zenaida Moya Flowers’ sin was an explosive interview she gave in which she use colorful language directed at Prime Minister Dean Barrow. Moya Flowers has not given any comments since her expulsion and is currently in Canada on an official visit. While many believe she is contemplating her next move, it seems the decision has already been made. Moya Flowers is down, but certainly not out. That is the message coming today from Housing Minister Michael Finnegan. Finnegan, is one of her staunchest allies who has stuck with her through thick and thin in her troubles with the prime minister. He arrived in the country this afternoon from the US and made it clear that he has advised her to appeal and Moya Flowers told him no matter what happens, she will be a UDP to the day she dies.

Michael Finnegan

“He did a beautiful thing. He left the doors open. The ballgame is now in the mayor’s court. Mister Barrow said if you are serious, then, not in these words, but something can happen, but lets show we that your are serious, but still on the other hand, you must temper justice with mercy. And I believe that the– personally me, and I don’t want to dwell in it and thing because I’m a person like to heal, I like to heal and bring people together– life is short and we all must pray and worship god and try to find healing with our self”

Jose Sanchez

“So, would you like to see Moya back in the party?”’

Michael Finnegan

“I believe that the decision was cruel and tough.”

Jules Vasquez

“You feel that they shouldn’t have gone to the maximum punishment?”

Michael Finnegan

“That is my view; they see it, probably another way, but in my view, to me it was not necessary, she has, in my view, publicly regret what she said and in life all of us say things that we wish we neva seh. I have already advised her to file an appeal. She’s my friend.”

Jose Sanchez,

“So, she said she will file the appeal?”

Michael Finnegan

“She will file an appeal. She told me so when she called me last week in the state and she told me what was happening. I said don’t worry about it, whether she is expelled or whatever the case may be. She will be a UDP until her death. I am quoting from her. “If they expel me I will remain a UDP and I will continue to work for the UPD and you are the only person that wants me to work for the UDP, then I will work for the UDP. You don’t want it no better than that. She harbors no hate and no grudge.”

City Administrator Clear Of Charges

And while Moya has been expelled from the UDP - we note that she still has at least one senior friend in the UDP - as Party Whip Michael Finnegan appeared in court to offer moral support.

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