Posted: Wednesday, October 29, 2025. 1:43 pm CST.
By Aaron Humes: Lawrence Ellis, a former People’s United Party candidate for Mesopotamia, has secured a city contract valued at $33,000 weekly for grass cutting around Belize City. The contract, awarded to Ellis’s company Reliable Waste Solutions, marks a significant shift as the city returns to privatizing a service once managed by Ellis’s former company, Belize Maintenance Limited (BML).
The decision, reportedly supported by Prime Minister John Briceño, has drawn attention and questions about transparency. Briceño on Monday emphasized it was the Belize City Council’s decision. “It’s for the institution to say yes or no,” he said, adding that the council believed outsourcing would save money.
Belize City Mayor Bernard Wagner explained that the city struggles to maintain its 736 streets with only 14 grass cutters. The current arrangement, which costs around $180,000 monthly, was deemed inefficient. The new five-year contract aims to reduce costs to approximately $140,000 per month, saving the city nearly half a million dollars annually. Ellis’s proposal was chosen due to his experience and the city’s need for a reliable solution, not through a public bidding process.
The decision has also sparked debate over political influence, as the prime minister openly endorsed the contract, which is embedded in a five-year agreement despite the council’s end-of-term in 18 months. Critics note that such lengthy contracts can extend beyond the current council’s mandate, raising questions about transparency and accountability.
As the city begins this new chapter, officials say they will review performance before considering long-term extensions.
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 He lost in ’25 General Election, but Lawrence Ellis wins city landscaping contract appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
Posted: Wednesday, October 29, 2025. 1:43 pm CST. By Aaron Humes: Lawrence Ellis, a former People’s United Party candidate for Mesopotamia, has secured a city contract
The post He lost in ’25 General Election, but Lawrence Ellis wins city landscaping contract appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
