Zenaida Moya facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Zenaida Moya
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Moya in 2010
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| Mayor of Belize City | |
| In office 1 March 2006 – 7 March 2012 |
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| Preceded by | David Fonseca |
| Succeeded by | Darrell Bradley |
| Personal details | |
| Political party | United Democratic Party |
| Alma mater | Gonzaga University University of Detroit-Mercy |
Zenaida Victoria Moya is a former mayor of Belize City, Belize. She was first elected in March 2006. Moya was a member of the United Democratic Party (UDP). She made history as Belize City's first female mayor.
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Early Life and Education
Zenaida Moya grew up in Belize City with her parents, Erlean and Eugene Moya, Sr., and her many siblings. She attended local schools in Belize, including Pallotti High School and St. John's College, Junior College.
After finishing school in Belize, she traveled to Spokane, Washington, in the United States. There, she studied at Gonzaga University and earned a degree in Business Administration with a focus on Economics. She continued her studies at the University of Detroit-Mercy in Detroit, Michigan, where she earned a Master's degree in Economics.
Working for the Government
Moya started her career in government in 1995. She worked as an economist for the Social Security Board in Belize. Later, she moved to the Ministry of Economic Development.
In 2002, she became the Registrar of Cooperatives and Credit Unions. This role involved overseeing groups like farmers' cooperatives and credit unions. In 2004, she faced some disagreements while working with the Northern Fishermen's Cooperative. These issues led to her being moved to a different government department.
Involvement in Public Protests
In January 2005, Zenaida Moya took part in public protests and strikes in Belize. These events happened because people were unhappy with the government's budget plans. Moya was an officer in the National Trade Union Congress of Belize (NTUCB), a group that represents workers.
Some people criticized her for speaking out against the government. She was later asked to explain her actions to a special commission. Moya, supported by her lawyer and union leaders, stated that she had not broken any rules. She was cleared of any wrongdoing and soon decided to enter local politics.
Becoming a Candidate for Mayor
On September 28, 2005, Zenaida Moya decided to run for Mayor of Belize City. She joined many other candidates from the United Democratic Party (UDP). She won the party's selection process on October 23, 2005.
Some people questioned her political experience because of her recent involvement in protests. However, on March 1, 2006, she led the UDP team to victory in the elections. They won against the People's United Party (PUP), who were in power at the time.
Serving as Mayor of Belize City
As Mayor, Zenaida Moya quickly took on her new responsibilities. She traveled to different parts of the world to represent Belize City. At home, she made some important decisions about city cleanliness and how tourism benefits the city.
Some critics continued to say she was inexperienced. They also suggested she relied too much on the UDP party leaders during her first year in office.
Re-election as Mayor
Zenaida Moya ran for a second term as Mayor in the municipal elections held on March 4, 2009. She was re-elected, and all the Councilors from her UDP party also won their seats. She officially started her second term on March 11, 2009. Moya did not run for re-election in 2012.
After Being Mayor
After her time as Mayor, Zenaida Moya showed interest in becoming a representative for the Mesopotamia area in the Belize House of Representatives. This would have been for the 2015 general election. However, the person who held that position, Michael Finnegan, decided to run again. Moya had long been seen as a political student of Finnegan's.
See also
In Spanish: Zenaida Moya para niños
