Tax Service Workers Clash with Government Over SARA Transition

Employees at Belize Tax Services are gearing up for a showdown over the government’s plan to transition into the new Semi-Autonomous Revenue Agency, better known as SARA. Officials say the move will boost efficiency and revenue, but the Public Service Union isn’t buying it. For months, the union has warned that workers could lose hard-earned benefits and face uncertainty about job security. They also question whether the government’s promise of higher revenue has any real evidence behind it. PSU President Dean Flowers breaks down what sparked this trade dispute, and what action could come next.

 

Dean Flowers, President, Public Service Union

“The results of last night’s meeting indicates that the Public Service Union is to declare a true dispute against the government of police and provide the Minister of Labor with a twenty-one days’ notice for intent to engage in the industrial action to address the anxiety and the concerns that we’ve raised and which have gone unanswered by the government of Belize. The Briceño administration, or at least the leadership in the Briceno administration. In some of these departments believe that they do not own accountability for the these young people or to anyone for that matter. I keep saying, if that’s the kind of regime that you want to run, then you’re free to go and run that in your house hold or in your private business. But this is the people’s business. This is the people’s tax department. This is public officers that you’re dealing with, and you have a duty and a responsibility. To communicate, to dialogue, and to respond and to be held accountable and to answer questions when answers are being asked. But it would appear that one of the trademarks of this administration and its leadership is to disregard accountability and transparency in the decision and policy making processes.”