7 hours ago
2
A former employee of the Dangriga Town Council is claiming one hundred and eighty thousand dollars in damages and compensation, alleging that he was unlawfully terminated from his position as Town Administrator. Austin Petillo, through his attorney Orson Elrington, has issued a letter of pre-litigation to the council, setting the stage for possible legal action if the matter cannot be resolved through negotiations. According to the letter, Petillo was recruited from the United States in March 2024 to serve as Town Administrator and subsequently entered into a three-year employment agreement with the council. He claims that shortly after assuming office, he encountered persistent political interference and was eventually locked out of the council compound in July 2024, preventing him from carrying out his duties. The letter argues that these actions amounted to constructive dismissal and unlawful termination. Petillo is seeking compensation for lost salary and allowances, relocation expenses, hardship, and other contractual benefits. The letter demands a total of one hundred and eighty thousand dollars, exclusive of interest and legal costs, and gives the council fourteen days to indicate whether it is prepared to engage in settlement discussions. Attorney Orson Elrington says the matter is still in its preliminary stages.
Orson Elrington, Attorney: “The pre-litigation that is just essentially us initiating the the legal proceedings in the matter. It is now a requirement by law that before initiating a lawsuit that you have a pre-litigation letter, that you follow the pre-litigation protocols. Essentially it is offering the the defendants or the other party an opportunity for them to settle the matter without the intervention of the court. And that’s still, that of course is what is our objective. We would hope that the matter is settled without us having to go through the long and the very difficult path of litigation. That fails, of course, we believe that we have a very strong case. It is very strong to say the least in a breach of contract. We are open for dialogue. Mr. Petillo, of course is a professional, is a person who moved to Belize to assist the Dangriga and Town Council in the administration of their town and essentially he was dismissed because he was following what is the professional guidelines under which he was retained. Of course Mr. Petillo I cannot say whether or not what was his political affiliation but of course he was hired by the council and he was hired because of his competence. There was never any issue or any claim that he was incompetent. It was nothing of the sort. It was simply an issue that they did not feel as though he was falling in line and so essentially they terminated his contract without the necessary compensation that is required that.”
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The Dangriga Town Council has not yet publicly responded to the allegations contained in the pre-litigation letter.
English (US) ·