PSU Raises Nepotism Concerns Over Mai Jr.’s Appointment

The appointment of Abelardo Mai Jr. as Acting Director of the Solid Waste Management Authority is stirring a much bigger debate about who gets ahead in the Public Service and why. The Public Service Union says Mai, a junior economist, comes from outside the ministry and lacks the technical background traditionally associated with solid waste management. At the same time, it says experienced and qualified public officers were never invited to apply for the position or interviewed. Mai’s family connection to a former government minister is also fueling concerns about nepotism, but PSU President Dean Flowers says the dispute goes beyond one appointment. He argues that repeatedly overlooking career officers is damaging morale and leaving public servants feeling sidelined in a system that should reward merit and experience.

 

Dean Flowers, President, Public Service Union

“It breaks them down. When you listen to the to the voice of people who have served this country for well over twenty years, who have been waiting for an opportunity to be given a fair chance to lead a unit or a department, only to see the son of a politician, handpicked out of nowhere, no experience, definitely not qualified in the field that the vacancy requires, and just be placed there. I mean it breaks their heart and it pains me as the leader. I think it is important that the people of Belize understand that it is not Mr. Mai fault that he was handpicked and put in that position but the Belizean people must be calling Rolando Zetina, CEO in the Ministry of Public Service name and holding him accountable. They must be holding Milagro Martos, CEO in the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Climate Change and Solid Waste Management accountable. It is those political creatures that caused this grave injustice to be done on long-serving public officers to reward the son of a minister who clearly was holding the post of an economist A junior economist, economist three.”

 

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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