It's been a tough few weeks for Belize City mayor Darrrell Bradley. He should be taking victory laps on the one hundred plus streets he paved - probably more than - the last 7 mayors combined. But instead of celebrating, he's being pilloried in the public eye: he lost his cool with the media last week, and last night he stormed out on the Labour Commissioner. The provocation in both cases is the vexing case of the Security Gaurds, who's union has proved a vexation for the mayor.

Well today, another provoking issues appeared: the case of his mother in law's stall in the BTL park. He was already accused of favoritism when his a city councilor got one of the prized 28 stalls, and now his mother in law? Today the media asked the Mayor about it, and we went on a food run to get our own answers:..

Mayor Darrell Bradley
"It is a fact that and I was unaware of this initially that my mother-in-law has a booth at BTL Park. Mt mother-in-law doesn't live in my house; she is a person who plies a business. Every single person should not be discriminated against. My responsibility here is to assure every member of the public that every process is transparent. There was no cherry-picking, there was no peddling if any influence, there was a public advertisement - Micheal Theus is a private individual, my mother-in-law in a private individual. If those people want to apply for a booth that's being offered as long as there is no decision making that is impartial or threatens or impairs a person ability to be selected or discriminates against a person then that process is transparent and its fair."

Jules Vasquez reporting
Yvette Brown is the mayor's Jamaican mother in law. She's been making patties and other Jamaican food since the 80's;

Jules Vasquez
"Some people have criticized the mayor because they say you are his mother-in-law and you shouldn't have gotten a run inna the place. How do you respond to that?"

Yvette Brown, Eva's Caribbean Cuisine Jamaican Food
"Well he is my son-in-law but I did go through every process even more then the Belizean because I ask to pay for a permit which is very expensive and I do all the paperwork and all the process. I don't get any favor from the mayor. I go through all and everything. I got the booth and I have to go through everything and I get no extra favor from him because one thing I know for sure he does not work that way. I have to go through every process. I don't even deal with him. If anything, if I have any problem, he says Witney is in charge, call Witney."

And Brown, like others we spoke to in the park says business is great.

Jules Vasquez
"How is the public reaction to your business?"

Yvette Brown
"I am getting a good feedback. They like the patties, they say it taste very good and I am trying my best to please them. But as you see the space is small, it gives me a challenge sometimes because to move around I have a challenge with that and the customers have been waiting hours for patties, so I am getting a good feedback."

Jules Vasquez
"Some people really like your food?"

Yvette Brown
"They really like the food."

And while the painstakingly handmade meat patties was pulling the crowd at Eva's over at Filipino Fast Food the big attraction is the fresh wrapped egg rolls:

Jules Vasquez
"A lot of people doesn't even know what is "Filipino Fast Food," how have people been reacting to it so far?"

Agnes Lobres, "Filipino Fast Food"
"They say it's really nice and this is the first time that they taste that food here in Belize. The people who buy first, they come back again to buy again and then they say the food is nice."

Jules Vasquez
"And so overall, how is business so far?"

Agnes Lobres, "Filipino Fast Food"
"Good."

Jules Vasquez
"Sometimes you can't handle the rush."

Agnes Lobres, "Filipino Fast Food"
"Yes."

And while those are exotic new attractions in the park, Rosa Miriam Echevveria is a tried and true staple. She's been in this park for 14 years selling tacos, burritos, and her Salvadorean specialty Pupusas. She says since the re-opening, business has really picked up:

Jules Vasquez
"You find that you have more business now that they fix up the park or before?"

Rosa Miriam Echeverria, "Rosa Miriam Pupuseria"
"More, business is good. The park is fixed good and business is good."

Jules Vasquez
"How is it that you get your food so nice?"

Rosa Miriam Echeverria, "Rosa Miriam Pupuseria"
"I don't know, I put in a lot of love."

Jules Vasquez
"Excellent."

Rosa Miriam's Pupseria is so popular that she says she has to stay open until three in the morning last week.

The vendors in the park pay a rental of 250 to 300 dollars a month, but have a rent free moratorium for the first year.

Channel 7