PSU Takes Protest to PGIA: Message Echoes Beyond the Airport

It was a tense afternoon at the Philip Goldson International Airport, where members of the Public Service Union showed up to protest right at the country’s busiest travel hub. With signs in hand and voices raised, P.S.U. members made their presence known—right where visitors were arriving. But things didn’t stay quiet for long. Union President Dean Flowers was blocked from entering the terminal, his vehicle booted, and police presence ramped up. Still, the union stood firm, using the high-traffic location to spotlight their growing frustration with the Briceño administration, especially over that long-promised eight-point-five percent salary increase. Here’s News Five’s Isani Cayetano with the following story.

 

Isani Cayetano, Reporting

This afternoon, the Public Service Union took their protest to one of the country’s busiest gateways—the Philip Goldson International Airport.

 

Dean Flowers, President, Public Service Union

“I was requested to do some office visit at the PGIA. I am carrying out my legal responsibility as president of this union It is not my fault that the Briceno administration is afraid that the visitors of this country to be informed of the oppressive administration that he’s administering.”

 

It was a peaceful but pointed demonstration, aimed at making sure their message reaches far beyond the picket lines. As visitors moved through the terminals, PSU members made their presence known, using the high-traffic location to spotlight their ongoing concerns with the government.

 

Dean Flowers

“Their tourist dollars is going in the pockets of a concession company who’s exploiting a contract that was recently renewed. He needs to say that to the tourists, he needs to justify that. Now, ih wah deny me from pick up my people dehn because he sees me as a threat. The biggest threat is Cabinet, that is where the deals are being brokered.”

 

With an increase in police presence at the PGIA, Flowers and other union members were blocked from entering the airport. Nonetheless, it was a bold move aimed at drawing national, and international, attention to their ongoing trade dispute with the government. With signs in hand and voices raised, the union is making it clear: their demands aren’t going anywhere.

 

Glenfield Dennison, Union Senator

“Our president had a meeting, and we are here to show our support to our president.”

 

Reporter

“So the president of the PSU has had to park outside of the barrier, as you guys can see. He’s been barred from entering.”

 

Glenfield Dennison

“Yes, they stopped me too. Well, they tried to stop me and then I told them about unlawful detention and the senior police officers had them open the barrier.”

 

In the parking lot nearby, a small but determined group of public officers stood their ground—posters in hand, message loud and clear. The Public Service Union is ramping up pressure on the Briceno administration, frustrated over stalled negotiations and that elusive 8.5% salary increase.

 

Annisa Gonzalez, 1^st Vice President, P.S.U.

“As you can see, my poster, it reflects of what exactly is happening. Now, we are harassing the trade unionists and that has become an important thing in Belize. It’s important for Belizeans to recognize that we don’t have freedom of speech anymore, we don’t have freedom of expression, we don’t have freedom of congregating. Today was geared towards letting the tourists understand what’s going on in Belize. We welcome all the tourists in the country, but as such, we have a lot of things that are going on. We have multiple police presence here. I’m not sure why we have so many police presence here right now, but that is what is happening right now.”

 

Things escalated quickly outside Terminal One this afternoon. Members of the Public Service Union took their demonstration a step further, blocking the entrance to the terminal in a bold show of defiance. A boot was placed on a vehicle belonging to PSU President Dean Flowers, but his supporters didn’t flinch.

Dean Flowers

“I cohn pick up sohn people and dehn lock my vehicle. How di hell dehn wahn lock my vehicle and I noh di utilize dehn parking lot. Then dehn wah look pan me and tell me that I haffi goh pay fifty dollars fuh mek dehn unlock my vehicle. What do they think, that I da di tourist weh dehn di charge forty-five dollars exit tax and exploit fi dehn own benefit? Noh man!”

 

Isani Cayetano for News Five.