Safety Bill Stalls Again, Workers Still Waiting

Belize’s long-awaited workplace safety law has hit another delay. After years of pressure from unions and labor advocates, debate on the Occupational Safety and Health Bill was postponed in the Senate today. Government Senator Anthony Sylvestre says key revisions only arrived Tuesday, leaving lawmakers without enough time to review them. The setback is fueling frustration, as advocates warn Belizean workers have already waited far too long for stronger protections on the job.

 

Anthony Sylvestre, Government Senator

“Madam President, on the order paper for today, there is the occupation, Occupational Hazard and Safety Bill. But that debate or continuation of that debate, Madam President, I would ask if that be deferred. My understanding is that on last occasion when the matter was before this chamber, certain undertakings were given. It was only late yesterday that we’re able to have comments, responses to some of the comments from senators that were handed in and I don’t think that would have afforded senators sufficient time to be able to adequately prepare for today. And we’re asking if that bill could be deferred to a later date.”

 

Patrick Faber, Opposition Senator

“The difficulty we have is that there was to be a second face-to-face meeting, for lack of a better way to put it, with the technical people. And to be quite frank with you, Madam President, we find it unacceptable, even the excuse that was given that they are not – they’re unable to meet with us for whatever reason. That baffled me completely and while the response that you gave me just now provides a way forward, it denies the members of the Senate that opportunity even before the debate continues that was actually kinda promised for us to engage with the technical folks. I get the impression, I don’t want to be critical, that these technical people might be in over their heads. It was very clear to me and that is frightening for the passage of this bill. It’s very frightening when it is that the CEO and the labor commissioner are unable to answer and then we ask them to come back.”

 

Prime Minister Briceño has deflected blame for the continued delay, saying the government has done its part and the House of Representative has done its part to push the OSH Bill forward. The Senate now needs to pass the bill.

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

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