Workplace - Channel 5 Belize

P.S.U Prez Says Fire Fighters Want Better Pay, Resources

On Friday, Belize City firefighters launched a go-slow protest over changes to their work schedule, which they say impacts their salaries. They’re also unhappy with their working conditions and the limited resources they must work with. This protest comes on the heels of recent corruption allegations involving some top officials. Today, some firefighters met with Dean Flowers, President of the Public Service Union. Afterward, Flowers had a meeting with Kennedy Carillo, the C.E.O. in the Ministry of Disaster Risk Management, and other ministry representatives. Flowers shared the details of their discussions with us.

Dean Flowers, President, Public Service Union

“ They are primarily administrative matters. I think there is a great need for the ministry. to really examine the quality of leadership that currently exists within the Fire Department. I think that a lot of the problems that the firefighters ventilated this morning stem from poor leadership, poor administrative leadership. To get into a few of the matters that were discussed. I know one of the pressing matters that was aired on the news Last week was the issue of the cutting of overtime. And I want to state that whilst, yes, they were disgruntled and are disgruntled with the manner in which the new policy was effected, I want to state that it is not as simple as they want to be paid overtime. The issue here is that these officers are severely underpaid and underappreciated. And so, the matter of compensation for the work that they’re doing, the additional services that they’re providing in terms of the ambulance services, um, there were arrangements, internal arrangements made in terms of how that additional work would be compensated and so this new policy would have affected that arrangement and thus they felt that they would have been compensated – they’re not properly compensated for the work that they do. But in addition to that, what was highlighted today is that there are several allowances that several firefighters are being denied. We don’t know why there are officers who are receiving a danger allowance. Some are receiving a hazardous allowance. Others are receiving no allowance. We went through the compendium today and we identified at least five allowances that we believe are due to firefighters. And so that is one of the matters that we will be addressing with the Ministry of Public Service as well as this ministry here.”

Minister Explains Regularization of Firefighters’ Work Schedules

Minister of Disaster Risk Management, Andre Perez, told News Five that the firefighters’ work schedules were adjusted to regular hours because the budget is nearly exhausted as the fiscal year ends. He assured that anyone working overtime will still get paid. Perez also addressed the corruption allegations at the top of the Fire Department, promising an investigation but emphasizing that solid evidence is needed to back up those claims.

Andre Perez, Minister of Disaster Risk Management

“As a fiscally prudent government we have take heed. We are short of funds and we’re getting to the end of the fiscal year. Sometimes we have to do a little bit of belt-tightening and of course it’s where some of the firefighters are saying, listen, are we not getting any overtime or we’re not giving the opportunity, many other factors, but the first thing I also want to share is that the intake of twenty-four new firefighters, which they have either been volunteers or temporary. Now they are permanent, or they’re fully on board, also is making the provision for another fifty-six firefighters, that’s a new intake. So as we prepare for the following year, we have to make conditions to prepare and that means that everybody will become more efficient. And certainly, we look forward ahead. The end game is to cut that overtime. making sure everybody gets their hours done, and of course, whenever overtime is needed or called for. it will be included. The work that the running of the fire department entails is that we have to have an administrative assistant. That is what we have provided previously, an F.O that is assisting. And in there, we’ve seen that the increments and salary promotions, salary increases that we need to looked at. It has been sitting on a desk whereby it’s been slow to come. So we are saying that in the last ten months, we have been seeing that more and more is being addressed. In terms of the word corruption, there’s always allegations of that, but it would need to be corroborated. But what we’re saying at that meeting, it was listened to, we discussed. I said if you bring forth the evidence if there is rampant corruption, then of course as a minister of this ministry, we will not tolerate these kinds of things occurring. We acknowledge it, that’s certainly, if there is what they are saying, we will do the investigation, but you need to bring proof because it’s only an allegation.”

RCCBPO Opens New Location in Belize City

Ready Call Center RCCBPO celebrated the grand opening of its eighth location in Belize, right here in Belize City. This new office is a shining example of how the industry is boosting the local economy. Here’s News Five’s Britney Gordon with more details.

Britney Gordon, Reporting

The BPO industry is on the rise, and thousands of Belizeans across the country rely on it to make ends meet. Wednesday was a big day for Ready Call Center BPO as they celebrated the opening of their eighth location in Belize. Prime Minister John Briceño was there for the grand opening in Belize City, highlighting the significant contributions the BPO industry makes to the economy.

Prime Minister John Вrісеñо

“The BPO sector has come a long way from employing one thousand, one hundred and twenty-four persons and operating only in Belize City, Belmopan and Ladyville in 2013. Today in 2024, there are over sixteen thousand employees and I’m currently are seeing, we are seeing one more expansion in Belize City that will satisfy the exigencies of the BPO sectors growth. This is in line with the government’s projection to increase employment in this sector to twenty thousand by the year 2025.”

He went on to explain how the BPO sector significantly boosts Belize’s economy, with seventeen BPO companies collectively spending over one hundred and ninety-one million dollars in operating expenses within the country. The Founder and CEO of RCCBPO shared that, in the nineteen years since the company was founded, it has grown into a workplace that people are proud to be a part of.

Nubia Ramirez, Founder & CEO, RCCBPO

“Today marks the beginning of a new standard of excellence in infrastructure within the BPO industry in Belize. For many years, we work on developing a great tracking record of integral quality and now we are matching the infrastructure to the level of quality of our services. This new building is more than just a building. We designed this place thinking on a place that our employees and clients can enjoy and consider a home away from home. Most people picture a BPO only as a place where people take calls. We see it different. We see RCC as a place where people learn and develop skills.”

The Philippines has the largest BPO industry in the world, something that is being replicated in Latin America. David Long, Executive Vice President of RCCBPO, tells us how the company made the transition into the Belizean market.

David Long, Executive VP, RCCBPO

“When I came to Belize, I was coming from the Philippines and which the Philippines, as most of y’all know, is very well renowned in the BPO industry. I knew it was gonna be a challenge coming from the Philippines and stepping into the Belize environment just because the population infrastructure and some things I was concerned about. But through Nubia’s unwavering belief and Belize’s this potential. She really convinced me it was in the right place. And Belize had something really special to offer. And shortly after that, she made me a believer. So you fast forward twenty years later, when Nubian RCC rolled the dice coming to beliefs who could have imagined that we’d be standing here today, celebrating not only the growth of RCC, but the birth of an entire industry in Belize.”

In this expansion, RCCBPO has joined forces with outsourcing company Fusion CX. Kishore Saraogi, Co-founder and Director details what this expansion means for the companies.

Kishore Saraogi, Co-founder and Director Fusion CX

“It is with immense pride and joy that I stand before you to officially welcome RCCBPO into Fusion CX family. While some time has passed since we announced our strategic investment, RCCBPO. This is my first opportunity to interact and address all our team members and interact with you all. Just to provide you a brief background, Fusion CX is a global CX provider, having location in fourteen countries, fifteen thousand plus people working worldwide, so now you are part of a much broader family, and we welcome you all to the RCC family, to Fusion CX family At Fusion CX, we believe in partnerships rooted in shared value, a commitment to excellence and mutual growth.”

Britney Gordon for News Five.