Posted: Friday, June 6, 2025. 11:39 am CST.
By Aaron Humes: Channel 7 News has challenged two significant contracts awarded by the Belize City Council for the painting of City Hall and the Traffic Department, with implications of favoritism and mismanagement.
At the center of the controversy is Kelcey Gillett, a registered nurse whose professional profile suggests a focus on healthcare rather than contracting work. However, documents obtained by Channel 7 News reveal that Gillett was awarded contracts totaling nearly $200,000 for painting services, without the usual bidding process.
Mayor Bernard Wagner acknowledged the contracts yet insisted they were merely “invoices” rather than formal contracts, downplaying both their size and the need for competitive bidding: “The painting…requires maintenance that we prefer to outsource. It’s a pretty small cost.” However, the actual amount awarded was $142,000 for City Hall and an additional $45,000 for the Traffic Department, contradicting the mayor’s assertion of a “small cost.”
Despite not following the normal procedure of putting contracts out to tender, Wagner claimed that the city has the authority to make such decisions, indicating that similar arrangements had been made previously without issue. When pressed on the selection of Gillett, who has no known background in contracting large-scale painting jobs, he stated, “We did our due diligence on the person who is the actual contractor doing the work.”
The investigation further revealed that there was no mention of the contracts in council minutes this year, raising transparency concerns. When questioned about Gillett’s close ties to a sitting council member, Wagner claimed ignorance: “All of this is just small jobs, or what I call requisition jobs for service. It’s not a contract,” the mayor insisted. “I won’t sign any contract that is less than a hundred thousand.”
Gillett has not publicly commented.
Advertise with the mоѕt vіѕіtеd nеwѕ ѕіtе іn Belize ~ We offer fully customizable and flexible digital marketing packages. Your content is delivered instantly to thousands of users in Belize and abroad! Contact us at mаrkеtіng@brеаkіngbеlіzеnеwѕ.соm or call us at 501-612-0315.
© 2025, BreakingBelizeNews.com. Content is copyrighted and requires written permission for reprinting in online or print media. Theft of content without permission/payment is punishable by law.
The post City Council’s controversial contract: Did a nurse paint City Hall? appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
Posted: Friday, June 6, 2025. 11:39 am CST. By Aaron Humes: Channel 7 News has challenged two significant contracts awarded by the Belize City Council for
The post City Council’s controversial contract: Did a nurse paint City Hall? appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
