Labor Minister: CCJ Has Ruled, BTL Must Pay Severance to Workers

As the Minister of Labor, Musa also weighed in on the Belize Communications Workers for Justice’s demand for their severance payment. The BCWJ held a press conference on Monday. They were also present at Tuesday’s protest. Today, Minister Musa told reporters that the CCJ has already ruled on the matter and BTL must pay.

 

Kareem Musa, Minister of Labor

“I do not know if that is the decision of the board that they will not honor these claims. As the minister of labor I think it is important for me to weigh in and I hope I am not doing so prematurely. This is a matter that has been ventilated all the way to the CCJ. There is no other alternative, no other appeal process. So, in my respectful opinion, if these employees are qualified for severance based on the CCJ ruling, then by all means you have to pay these people. How do you think you are in a position today to be buying out other companies if it is not on the backs of these hard working people from the company. So if the CCJ has given that ruling then in my respectful opinion then BTL has to pay them. I agree with them.”

 

 

And tonight, Labor Minister Kareem Musa is siding squarely with the workers. After the BCWJ pressed their case at a press conference and joined Tuesday’s protest, Musa said the issue has already been settled at the highest court. The CCJ ruled, and in his words, if those employees qualify for severance, BTL must pay them.