Zenaida Moya
Encyclopedia
Zenaida Victoria Moya is a former government official and the mayor
of Belize City
, Belize
elected in elections held in March 2006. She is a member of the United Democratic Party
(UDP). She is Belize City's first female mayor.
to attend Gonzaga University
, where she earned a B. Sc. in Business Administration, with an Economics
concentration. Further studies at University of Detroit-Mercy, in Detroit, Michigan
, led to a Master's in this area.
.
Moya was named supervisor of credit unions and went on vacation leave. In December 2004 she was asked to submit recommendations for the 2005-2006 budget. When Musa presented the budget in January 2006, it led to another round of protests in which Moya was directly involved.
(NTUCB), participated in the January 2005 strikes and shutdowns precipitated by the Musa budget. She faced criticism from some of her own Association of Public Service Senior Managers(APSSM) members for speaking out against the Musa People's United Party (PUP) administration, and general disapproval from supporters of the PUP. After being transferred again to head the Public Sector Investment program, Ministry of National Development. But after another round of protests in April directed at the telecom industry, Moya briefly faced termination from her post. Directed to appear before the Public Services Commission later that summer to explain her actions, Moya, accompanied by lawyer and Leader of the Opposition Dean Barrow and Public Service Union of Belize president Dylan Reneau (Moya had been ostracized from the APSSM and moved to the PSU), denied that her actions in any way violated rules and regulations governing the public service. Moya was cleared and moved on-to local politics.
From the start, Moya's opponents questioned her political experience, particularly in light of the events of 2005. On March 1, 2006 she led the UDP slate to a victory over the incumbent PUP side.
Critics continued to carp about her inexperience and dependence on the UDP hierarchy in her first year of office.
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Belize City
Belize City
Belize City is the largest city in the Central American nation of Belize. Unofficial estimates place the population of Belize City at 70,000 or more. It is located at the mouth of the Belize River on the coast of the Caribbean. The city is the country's principal port and its financial and...
, Belize
Belize
Belize is a constitutional monarchy and the northernmost country in Central America. Belize has a diverse society, comprising many cultures and languages. Even though Kriol and Spanish are spoken among the population, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official...
elected in elections held in March 2006. She is a member of the United Democratic Party
United Democratic Party (Belize)
The United Democratic Party is one of the two major political parties in Belize, and currently the ruling party, having won the 2008 general elections. A centre-right conservative party, it is currently led by Dean Barrow.-Founding:...
(UDP). She is Belize City's first female mayor.
Childhood and education
Moya was born to a large family headed by Erlean and Eugene Moya, Sr. and has lived all her life in Belize City. She attended local schools in Belize, including Pallotti High School and St. John's College, Junior College, before leaving for Spokane, WashingtonSpokane, Washington
Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
to attend Gonzaga University
Gonzaga University
Gonzaga University is a private Roman Catholic university located in Spokane, Washington, United States. Founded in 1887 by the Society of Jesus, it is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities and is named after the young Jesuit saint, Aloysius Gonzaga...
, where she earned a B. Sc. in Business Administration, with an Economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
concentration. Further studies at University of Detroit-Mercy, in Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
, led to a Master's in this area.
In the Government service
Moya joined the local Social Security Board in 1995 under a UDP administration, and later the Ministry of Economic Development, working in both cases as an economist. With the accession of the PUP to power in 1998, Moya was moved up to Registrar of Cooperatives and Credit Unions in 2002. By October 2004, she was facing a transfer to a different Ministry in the wake of conflicts with the Northern Fishermen's Cooperative over questionable practices and ignorance of her department's directives. The NFC reputedly was controlled by a relative of Prime Minister Said MusaSaid Musa
Said Wilbert Musa is a Belizean lawyer and politician. He was the Prime Minister of Belize from August 28, 1998 to February 8, 2008.-Early life and education:Said Musa was born in San Ignacio, Cayo District, Belize...
.
Moya was named supervisor of credit unions and went on vacation leave. In December 2004 she was asked to submit recommendations for the 2005-2006 budget. When Musa presented the budget in January 2006, it led to another round of protests in which Moya was directly involved.
Involvement in national protests
Moya, an officer in the National Trade Union Congress of BelizeNational Trade Union Congress of Belize
The National Trade Union Congress of Belize is a central trade union federation representing the majority of workers in Belize. The NTUCB is affiliated to the International Trade Union Confederation. It is an umbrella organization for seven unions in Belize...
(NTUCB), participated in the January 2005 strikes and shutdowns precipitated by the Musa budget. She faced criticism from some of her own Association of Public Service Senior Managers(APSSM) members for speaking out against the Musa People's United Party (PUP) administration, and general disapproval from supporters of the PUP. After being transferred again to head the Public Sector Investment program, Ministry of National Development. But after another round of protests in April directed at the telecom industry, Moya briefly faced termination from her post. Directed to appear before the Public Services Commission later that summer to explain her actions, Moya, accompanied by lawyer and Leader of the Opposition Dean Barrow and Public Service Union of Belize president Dylan Reneau (Moya had been ostracized from the APSSM and moved to the PSU), denied that her actions in any way violated rules and regulations governing the public service. Moya was cleared and moved on-to local politics.
Candidacy for Mayor
On September 28, 2005, Moya joined a crowded UDP field of candidates for Mayor and Councillor for elections scheduled for March, 2006. Moya won the hotly contested convention at the Anglican Cathedral College school grounds in Belize City on October 23, 2005.From the start, Moya's opponents questioned her political experience, particularly in light of the events of 2005. On March 1, 2006 she led the UDP slate to a victory over the incumbent PUP side.
As Mayor
Moya settled into her mayoral duties eagerly, traveling across the world as a representative of Belize City and taking some unpopular stands at home over sanitation control and tourism benefits.Critics continued to carp about her inexperience and dependence on the UDP hierarchy in her first year of office.