Behind the Placards: Rain‑Soaked Protest for Severance

In the pouring rain and with frustration rising, former employees of Belize Telemedia Limited are back on the picket line, pressing for the severance they say they earned after decades of service. Prime Minister Briceño and Labor Minister Kareem Musa have voiced support for their cause, but members of the Belize Communication Workers for Justice say they’ve heard enough talk. What they want now is action. Today, Shane Williams spoke with some of the men and women behind the placards, standing firm despite the weather.

 

Shane Williams Reporting…

They marched through the rain, older men and women, many battling health issues, standing shoulder to shoulder with one clear demand: pay them the severance they’re owed. The Belize Communication Workers for Justice say time is not on their side and patience has long run out.

 

Emily Turner, Organizer, Belize Communication Workers for Justice

“Unless BTL acts in that manner, it’s really just words coming out from the Prime Minister because the board that is appointed by him and that serves at his at displeasure is not listening to what he’s saying. They’re taking their time. They have written to us, they have even sent that press release that said that they will wait until their next board meeting to review this. I hope that they will put some urgency on it. We continue protesting for this reason because words without option, no one do nothing for us. And I think from the beginning we had said that. We will stick to this until that money is paid out to these, to the, to our group. And like you said, there is a, our group is a group of people that are older and then you can see that they’re out here under this rain.”

 

And while it’s easy to focus on the chants and placards, the real story lies with the people holding them. For twenty‑six years, Leticia Reyes was a familiar voice to Belizeans, especially those calling one‑one‑three for help in Spanish. She was the steady, reassuring presence on the other end of the line, serving the public day in and day out. Today, Reyes is fighting for her health and for dignity.

 

Leticia Reyes, Member, BCWJ

“I was working at BTL, I suffered several surgeries. I went through gastric bypass. I went through two heart surgeries. I had anemic. I had two stroke already. And that’s the reason why I can’t speak too much like that. I cannot do like, remember words that I could say. I used to say it and I even lost my Spanish with the stroke. But working at BTL was excellent for me at that time ’cause we were all building BTL where it is right now. And I don’t think that other people that comes now, they will gain from our sweat but we need the severance. In another two years or three years, I need to go for another surgery, heart surgery. So that’s why the severance would be good for me. At the, my last surgery I write to BTL and I asked them for help not the full amount that I needed, but one one full basket and I didn’t get an answer. And afterwards they told me that they won’t help. So I didn’t get anything from help from them.”

 

Patricia Bradley worked at BTL for seventeen years. She opened a small restaurant after retirement, but it collapsed during the Covid shutdown. She is now a caregiver for the elderly and would use her severance to expand her business and reopen the kitchen.

 

Patricia Bradley, Member, BWCJ

“We have certain health issues as we get older we need to look into to make sure that we, you know, check ourselves. Basically since leaving BTL I was running a kitchen with my husband, I mean, doing our own business. But then COVID came in and basically now I am doing caregiving. I have a patient that I take care of in my home. But I’m out here today because, you know, the toil, the sacrifices that we made to BTL. I mean, you can’t get time off, family time. You always have to be missing from parties, wedding, any kinda – even funeral, you can’t really go. You’re always working. The technicians that are running the lines can tell you about alligator in the swamps and they have to be going through that. You know, the late hours, when hurricane you de away, your family they home by themselves. Pay we man, we give wi all to you. We give wi all, all ah wi youth, wi years.”

 

Gregory Bennett worked eleven years as a test officer and saw the company’s cellular service progression and roll out of other automated services. He intends to use his severance to further his education.

 

Gregory Bennett, Member, BCWJ

“I’m so appalled at the way we’re being treated because of now they’re going to invest eighty million in. In buying over smart when they can put it on pause and pay us workers who have toiled and have done many things for the community and nationwide. And what I’m gonna do with this money that I will be getting, because we’re talking about thousands of dollars I’m gonna start in and do some good personal administration and right now I’m really behind. I want to buy a car. I want to do things. I want to further my education at the age of sixty. We can still go continue. It’s not over till it’s over.”

 

The Belize Communication Workers for Justice say they will remain on the streets until their severance is paid in full, insisting that after decades of service, justice delayed has become justice denied. Shane Williams for News Five.