Just in time for the municipal elections Kevin Bernard after doing nothing for Orange Walk after two consecutive terms, ran head first and saddled the Orange Walk town council with a debt that will see at least three consecutive councils Struggling to pay for the debt with one of the municipalities most secure revenue streams.
In May of last year Bernard went into a contract with a construction company, De’Mar’s Stone Company to do work in the municipality to the tune of $999,456. In a letter addressed to De’Mar’s, Bernard committed to start paying for the works at the start of June 2016 and he further committed that those payment will continue for a whopping twelve years up to June 2028.
What is most troubling is that Bernard committed the council’s monthly government subvention as the way by which DeMar’s is to be paid. It would seem that this kind of contract is a bit excessive especially because there is no guarantee that Bernard will be in the mayoral seat come the next municipal election and his actions have now committed future councils to have to give up a large portion of their subvention all for the sake of his electioneering.
What is now most interesting is that on Friday the government presented a bill to ensure greater autonomy for town councils and when it was discussed in the Senate it was met with rabid opposition by the PUP senators. Of course there was no mention that in fact the only PUP town board is already taking the kind of action that they seem to be most concerned about, that is that municipal managers are able to acquire irresponsible debt. It is plain to see that what Bernard has already done with the debt he recently incurred may be irresponsible. The PUP of course have turned a blind eye to this and pretended to forget that Bernard has already done what they pretend to fear the most.
