Tag: 2024-05-02

The Joint Unions Negotiating Team met with government officials on Wednesday, following a hiatus from discussions with the Briceno Administration related to a number of issues including anti-corruption.  PSU President Dean Flowers discussed the issue with reporters following the meeting at the House of Culture.

Paul Lopez

“In terms of the request for the establishment of an anti-corruption commission by the UN, I think the document says that you all believe this is the only approach that is feasible at this point or that can be taken to really address the issue of corruption in Belize.”

Dean Flowers , President, P.S.U.

“When we touched on that, the question to the minister responsible for political and public sector reform, was whether or not there was a difficulty in exploring that option which, as you rightly said, we believe is the only option left available to us.  It would be very naïve of us as a people to think that we have the necessary infrastructure and the necessary expertise and the political will in country to adequately tackle corruption and to address and effect the many pieces of legislation that has been passed, including the most recently adopted Civil Asset Recovery and Unexplained Wealth Order Bill.  As I stated, that is a beautiful piece of legislation to assist in curbing corruption.  The question now that must be taken to the FIU Director is what steps have been taken to: one, recruit competent individuals and two, whether or not they have the requisite resources in including office space.”

The Joint Union Negotiation Team is also advocating for significant tax reforms. According to Nadia Caliz, the Belize National Teachers Union President, some businessmen are evading taxes by declaring items as zero-rated. She contended that middle- and low-income families are bearing the brunt of taxes in Belize.

Nadia Caliz, National President, B.N.T.U.

“During our discussion with government today They were happy that they brought certain things to their attention and they asked for us to spend some time to go back and discuss these things, but at the same time they have already been working on tax reform and so when we meet again with them, they will present to us what it is that they have been doing and what they will do to address the things we have brought to their attention. One of the key things brought to their attention in the area of tax evasion let me talk about that one is we have importers bringing in furniture and different things from across the border and then using receipts that say ramen noodle and ramen is a zero rated, tax free you don’t have to pay taxes on that and that is not fair to the Belizean people any at all.”

The Joint Union Negotiating Team has also requested a detailed report of the country’s debt profile from the Government of Belize. Dean Flowers, the President of the Public Service Union, says that this should be on the minds of every Belizean. He added that G.O.B. did not provide the report on Wednesday but has committed to do so in a timely manner.

Dean Flowers, President, P.S.U.

“As it relates to the profile of the country, I think that is a concern and a matter of high importance that should be on every single Belizean mind. As we all know, we would have restructured our debt, most of our debts in 2021, we would have received three years moratorium on most, if not all of our debts. So several of our debts now become due and payable as we speak. Included in that are the interest payments for the super bond, which matures in 2020. And so we felt that given that there will be no added demand on government finances to meet our national and international debts, that it’s important that we get an understanding of where we are with that and the obligations that will be tied to that. Because if it is that we’re unable to meet those debt payments, then we will be back at square one when the government will be looking at where can it cut expenses. And as we all know, it has always been cutting the public purse in terms of public officers salaries. And so we now have that at the forefront of our agenda in terms of paying attention to that, because any slip up in that can end up costing us money again in the long run. We did not receive that today, but we did receive a very detailed presentation on where we are as a country in terms of our debt and commitment was made by the representative from the Ministry of Finance to provide comprehensive debt profile to us. And so once that is provided, I would have no problem sharing that or speaking on that with the Belizean people.”

Mike Espat’s state funeral is scheduled for the tenth of May. On Wednesday, we spoke with one of Espat’s long-time colleagues, going all the way back to his days as a teacher at the Toledo Community College. Senior Counsel Godfrey Smith taught alongside Espat at TCC. When we caught up with Smith he reminisced on those good old times and the man that he knew Espat to be.

Godfrey Smith, Former Colleague of Mike Espat

“When I met Mike Espat in September of 1987, freshly graduated from St Johns six form, when I met him he was the principal of Toledo Community College where I taught for a year in the English Department, teaching English language and English Literature. I actually lived in Mike’s house for a couple of months until I was able to find a place of my own and I was involved with him in various things. I have a vivid memory of entering a pig stye with him. He was hands on person, very practical, involved in rice production, the pig program at the campus.  I remember stepping into the stye and wading in the mud and mock, assisting him, just generally dealing with the livestock. Always outspoken, always a party man and never feared to speak truth to the leadership and always ready to lead a back bench revolt but only going so far.”