When unexpected leadership changes at Belize’s newly launched National Bus Company (NBC) sparked widespread public speculation earlier this week, former chief executive Susana Vanzie has stepped forward to set the record straight, confirming her departure was a pre-planned interim arrangement rather than a sudden exit amid internal or political turmoil.
Vanzie explained that from the moment she accepted the CEO position, the role was explicitly agreed to be temporary with relevant government ministers. The veteran bus industry operator and current NBC shareholder stepped into the leadership role at a critical juncture, when the newly nationalized bus operation needed an experienced hand to build the project from the ground up.
“From the start, the minister publicly stated this was an interim appointment – a lot of people simply missed that detail, which is why my exit came as an unexpected surprise that led to all kinds of rumors,” Vanzie shared in a public address broadcast this week. “When I was asked to take on the role, I jumped at the chance even though I knew I couldn’t stay long-term. I already had other professional responsibilities, but building a national public transit system from scratch is the kind of challenge that needs full commitment, no half measures. So I dropped everything to see it through.”
The founding CEO acknowledged the project has faced a rockier start than many anticipated, outlining a series of structural and operational hurdles that have slowed momentum. When NBC took over the national bus network, it inherited an aging, fragmented fleet made up of buses from more than half a dozen different manufacturers, with some vehicles 20 to 30 years old. This mismatch has created persistent mechanical and maintenance challenges that have disrupted service from day one.
Beyond equipment issues, Vanzie also admitted that internal communication missteps during the transition left some frontline staff feeling excluded from decision-making processes, a gap that new leadership will need to address to improve morale and operational efficiency.
Despite these early growing pains, Vanzie remains a committed backer of the national bus project, both financially and ideologically. She and her brother, fellow NBC shareholders, chose to retain their stakes rather than cashing out when she stepped down as CEO, a decision rooted in their long-term belief in the initiative’s core mission. Vanzie’s vision for NBC centers on building a modern, efficient national transit network that will eventually transition to a fully electric fleet of new buses – a goal that she stresses will take time to achieve.
She is now calling on the Belizean public and political stakeholders to give the new leadership team space to implement changes and deliver on the project’s long-term promises, warning that sweeping changes to a critical public service of this scale will always be fraught with early challenges and competing demands. As for her own role, Vanzie will remain an involved shareholder, continuing to support the project from outside the top leadership position.
This report is adapted from a full evening television newscast transcript published online.