“Go Home”: Unions Turn Up Heat on BTL Chairman 

Belize’s trade unions are no longer just calling for BTL Chairman Markhelm Lizarraga to resign. They want him gone without a pension.

“He needs to do the honorable thing and resign and no get no benefits, go directly home and do not pass go, do not collect your pension, do not collect two hundred dollars, just go home,” said Union Senator Glenfield Dennison at today’s National Trade Union Congress (NTUCB) press conference in Belize City. 

The unions claim that Lizarraga has lost the trust of BTL’s workforce and the wider public over his handling of the proposed Speednet/SMART acquisition, which is now no longer on the negotiation table. 

“We believe that the chairman has not been sufficiently honest, transparent and forthcoming with Belizean workers and the Belizean public and therefore has lost confidence with many employees at BTL, workers and Belizeans,” NTUCB President Ella Waight added.

Meanwhile, the Belize Communication Workers Union (BCWU), which represents about 60% of BTL’s workforce, has also withdrawn its confidence in Lizarraga. BCWU’s General Secretary Harrison August said Lizarraga “has failed to act with transparency, timely communication, consultation, and good faith engagement, particularly on the decision that directly impacts the employees of BTL and the people of Belize” following it with a label of “Vote of no confidence.” 

Lizarraga previously defended his record when questioned about his integrity being blurred over BTL’s acquisition of Speednet/SMART. He instead pointed to BTL’s turnaround under his watch. “You will judge me by the works and the results,” he said.