Public Service Union Challenges Tax Reform Plan

The proposed transformation of the Belize Tax Services Department into a Semi-Autonomous Revenue Authority or SARA has sparked significant legal and labor concerns. At the center of the storm is the Public Service Union led by President Dean Flowers who has slammed the process as unconstitutional and procedurally flawed. According to the union, public officers are being forced to choose between reapplying for their jobs or resigning, without adequate consultation or legal protection. Tonight, we take a closer look at the controversy, including the contents of the Cabinet Paper that outlines this major transition. What exactly went into the proposal? Is it as fair and comprehensive as government officials claim? In our interview, Flowers breaks down the union’s concerns and what they believe is at stake for Belize’s public service.

 

Dean Flowers, President, Public Service Union

“For the government to have the audacity to state that they have been or that they have the wheels put in motion since 2022 for the ignorants of the entire Belizean population, much to the ignorance or the lack of knowledge to the very people that they’re coming to for assistance in terms of ensuring that the transition makes sense which of course is the employees clearly it would have to be an act of bad faith and again we are dealing with politicians and we are dealing with poor leadership so I’m certainly not surprised and again it must be stated Belizean people must be reminded that we had a very difficult time with the government of Belize and this includes the Barrow administration prior to the 2020 election in addressing the amalgamation of the income tax and sales tax department. The first thing would be is addressing the legislation, a legislation which has not been shared with us, a legislation which we are told by the director general is to come into effect in December but how can you want to roll out a legislation in December when we are already  in August so basically it is demonstrating that you intend to ramp through and rush through the house of representatives and hopefully the senate, a piece of legislation that we have not all  gotten the opportunity to review and to critique an to offer meaningful suggestions in terms of how to make it stronger not for the public service union but more importantly for the tax payers of this country and the benefit of the Belizean people”