PSU Disappointed Following Cancelled Meeting with Belize Tax Service

Today, members of the Public Service Union exited the Eleanor Hall in Belize City disappointed, following the cancellation of a meeting between the union and the Belize Tax Service about government’s plan to transition the department into a semi-autonomous revenue authority. In November, the union officially declared a trade dispute, and this meeting was set to follow up on the union’s concerns. We spoke with PSU President Dean Flowers today for more details.

 

Dean Flowers, President, Public Service Union

“Today we had a scheduled meeting with the Ministry of Finance. As far as we were notified, this should have been a follow-up meeting which should have been chaired by the labor department. I wish to remind the Belizean people that we are in a trade dispute with the Ministry of Finance. And that impasse is being mediated by the Ministry of Labor on December the third. Just as a recap the Ministry of Labor would’ve brought together the Ministry of Finance, the Public Service Union of Belize Public Service, ministry of Public Service, as well as there was guidance by the Attorney General Ministry for the government side. And we would have ventilated our impasse as far as the current process being utilized by the government of Belize to transition the Belize Services Department into our semi-autonomous revenue authority. Today was a follow-up of that December third meeting. When we got to that meeting we were greeted by the staff of the Belize Tax Services department, which was very welcoming and comforting because it gave us the confidence that we needed to enter that room to defend the position and the mandate that they have given to us. And by extension, the wider public service union with the support of the National Trade Union Congress of Belize. Unfortunately, when we got into the room it was only us and I believe two members of the Project Execution unit, who told us that they were there to do minute taking. Now that in and of itself would’ve raised the red flag because we know that we are in an impasse and it should have been the Ministry of Labor dear to take minutes, but they were nowhere to be found. And so, it may be very prudent for the media to find out from the labor commissioner and the labor minister why they weren’t in that room to ensure that we continue to make our efforts to try to break the impasse and the trade dispute that currently exists between the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service Union of Belize.”

 

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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