Belize Tax Department Transitions to SARA: “No One to Lose Jobs”

The Belize Tax Service Department is preparing to transition into a Semi-Autonomous Revenue Authority (SARA), with the change set to begin in December 2025. While reports suggest that only 153 positions will exist under the new structure, down from 250-plus current staff roles, Director General Michelle Longsworth has clarified that no employees will lose their jobs.

“I think what is being on social media is just a form of mischief-making,” she said.

According to Longsworth, employees will have the choice to transition into the new authority or request a transfer within the public service. Retirement will also be an option for those eligible.

“It’s a choice whether staff choose to transition to the SARA; they have a choice, or they can choose to remain with the public service and be put in a department in the wider public service so no one will lose their jobs,” Longsworth said.

 

She explained that the confusion stems from a misunderstanding between the number of positions and the number of people holding those roles. “We’re talking about 153 positions,” she said. “Presently, the BTS has 42 positions, but we have 250 staff members.”

If a current staff member chooses to transition to the SARA, they will have to reapply for those jobs but would be given “first consideration to apply for positions within the new SARA structure,” according to a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) sheet provided to its employees as part of its sensitization sessions.

The FAQ sheet also points out that those who choose to “remain in the public service or retire, your pension benefits remain intact.”

She explained that a position exists once but is held by several staff members across all districts in Belize. “So even though the cashier is one position, we have eight staff members filling that position. So 153 positions does not mean 153 bodies.”

Lonsworth also stated that the new authority will continue to operate under the Ministry of Finance, with oversight by an advisory board. “The revenue that we are presently collecting will continue to be deposited in the Consolidated Fund,” she said.

Employees who choose to join the new system (SARA) will no longer be considered public officers, as their status will shift to a new employment arrangement under SARA. “Your service with the public service will end and you will be compensated following the PSR and pensions act,” outlined the FAQ sheet.

“It’s like a clean cut from the public service. So you will start a new employment with the semi-autonomous revenue authority,” Longsworth added. The good news is that “whether you transition or stay in the public service, your years of service are recognized and factored into any benefit considerations,” the FAQ sheet added.

Longsworth confirmed that while the official transition is set for December 2025, preparatory work has been underway since October 2024 and is expected to continue into June 2026.

“SARA will offer market-aligned salaries and modern HR policies,” the FAQ sheet states, including “improved pay structures, clearer promotion paths, and benefits geared toward meritocracy, recognizing and rewarding strong performance.”