Vicente Canul, as the General Manager of St. Francis Xavier Credit Union - he's in the executive crosshairs - and if you don't believe that, check the Credit Unions Amendment Bill which was passed by the House of Representatives on Friday. The bill is mostly about St. Francis Xavier Credit Union and gives the Registrar of Credit Unions definitive power to go in there and put things in order. But Vicente Canul is not shaking, in fact, he's not even scared.
Canul appeared this morning on Krem's WUB Morning Show along with members of the Supervisory Committee and the Pro-tem Board. The Supervisory Committee is the group that in September suspended the government-recognized board of directors headed by Luciola West and then appointed a pro-tem board to act. That board continues to act in defiance of a directive from the Registrar of Credit Unions, Sydney Campbell.
After the morning show, they told us that they are determined to do as their membership dictates.
Jules Vasquez,
It is all about trying to oust you. If that is true, why are they so eager to get you out of the credit union or to make you relinquish control?
Vicente Canul, GM - St. Francis Xavier Credit Union
"Jules I have no idea why this is being done and all I am doing is administrating a credit union, the second largest credit union in Belize. And to tell you the truth, I don't know why they want me out, why some people want me out."
Jules Vasquez,
How far are you prepared to go? You are one of the founders of this credit union. How far are you prepared to go to protect your credit union?
Vicente Canul,
"As long as the membership supports me."
Carla Bacab, Member - Pro-Tem Board
"Of course we have the voice of the people. Although they have passed that legislative law, we are going to stand firm and we are going to fight for what is our rights. We are going to allow nobody, no government, to come and violent our rights."
Joaquin Bobadilla, Secretary - Supervisory Committee
"This is the poor people's money and I don't think the big people from Central Bank should take too much interest in the small money that we got. But it looks like they are looking for something in the credit union."
Jules Vasquez,
You wrote a very strong letter to the Governor of the Central Bank saying that he is just another abuser, those are your exact words. Those are the exact words in the letter, that he, the Governor, as the Registrar of Credit Unions, is just another abuser in the long line that the Mayan people have been opposing for all these years. Has Sydney Campbell contacted you since the legislation was passed?
Vicente Canul,
"No."
Jules Vasquez,
Mr. Canul what will happen on that day when Campbell sends in an administrator to take your job, to take you out of that seat?
Vicente Canul,
"I cannot answer that Jules because myself, I don't know if he will appoint an administrator or when or how."
Jules Vasquez,
Is this about control sir? Is this a battle for control because I am Canul, I founded this credit union and Luciola West did not found it. Is it a battle of egos?
Vicente Canul,
"Not so at all. That is not the case."
Jules Vasquez,
What is it?
Vicente Canul,
"Again I want to say that I am just administrating a credit union and I want to see a sound and safe credit union and that is what I have been doing all along. I have been maneuvering with the ship on high seas. Right now we are in the middle of a storm but I have dropped my anchors and I am trying to save the ship and the crew."
The new Credit Unions Bill gives the Registrar powers to appoint an administrator if there is liquidity or other financial problems or temporarily assume management if there are administrative or other difficulties. There is no word yet from the Registrar of Credit Unions on when he plans to invoke this power. But the pro-tem board has called a special membership meeting for December second at which they plan to expel the current board members from the union's general membership, thus permanently and inarguable disqualifying them from serving on the board. It is felt that the registrar would need to act before that happens.
