U.B.F.S.U. Expresses Concern Over University Tertiary Hospital  

Unlike the students and the president of the University of Belize, the tertiary institution’s faculty and staff union has taken a clear stance on the government’s decision to reject the university’s land offer. The union issued a release on Thursday night expressing its discontent with the six point nine million dollars, fifteen-acre purchase.  U.B.F.S.U. says it firmly believes that the land currently owned by the University of Belize, as initially proposed, would successfully meet all required environmental assessments and receive approval from qualified, objective building engineers. Today we spoke with Doctor Pio Saqui the President of the union who urged the board to call on the government to reconsider their position.

 

Dr. Pio Saqui, President, U.B.F.S.U.

“I think the reaction of the union is exactly the same as every national of Belize should have. The motion that was passed in the House of Representatives and Senate clearly indicates that this hospital was to be built on the U.B. property. Any change or deviation to that decision should have gone through some type of rigorous process and a transparent one that we should see. U.B. has very good land and if there is any kind of evaluation or assessment done that says this property is not good enough, we should have been able to see that to determine that. For the union this is a sad day because we do believe in transparency, accountability and good governance. This speaks to the heart of that. This is not just a U.B. employee, U.B. student issue, this is a national issue. U.B. faculty and staff union, as well as the students, need to be a part of the discourse. We have not been approached or communicated with in any official way.”

 

Paul Lopez

“Does the union have a position on the university’s president’s response to this entire situation?”

 

Dr. Pio Saqui

“I can’t speak for the president. I have not communicated with him personally on the issue. I have only seen the response of the chairman of the board. But we have spoken and one of the things that we have really said is that the board of trustees did not have a say in deciding when this hospital was going to be moved and where it was going to be moved. There was some discussion and objection particularly from the faculty and staff union voting against the move. But we are just one vote on the board.”