Former Minister of Education Francis Fonseca says the unions have rejected the latest offer, but there’s still hope for a resolution. With new proposals heading to Cabinet next week, Fonseca is urging a return to the table—and a move away from disruptive actions like airport closures, which he says hurt everyone, from public officers to the tourism industry. Here’s more on what he had to say.
Francis Fonseca, Former Minister of Education
“The unions, as you know, have rejected the last offer made by the Government of Belize. Our negotiating team, the cabinet subcommittee, met earlier this week to discuss certain proposals that we want to make to Cabinet. We will be making those proposals to Cabinet on Tuesday next week, and based on that discussion with Cabinet and whatever instructions we are given by Cabinet, then we will be scheduling a meeting with the JUNT for us to move the process forward in terms of whatever instructions we are given by Cabinet. So we are very hopeful that, based on our own discussions, that those proposals will be well received, that they will be met with good faith, and that we will have an opportunity for an early resolution of this matter. I’ve always maintained that we have in place a structure and a mechanism for the resolution of these disputes. We have always been able to dialogue around the table. In my view, it is very unfortunate, very disappointing that the unions have moved away from the table and are not, you know, resolving these issues in good faith, in a respectful way around the table. So, I think, certainly the efforts to close or disrupt activities at the airport, that cannot be acceptable to anyone and that is not in the interest of anybody, not in the interest of the teachers, the public officers and not in the interest of the tourism industry.”
