They call themselves the Belize Communications Workers for Justice and this group of former employees took their protest to St.Thomas street today, gathering outside BTL headquarters to demand severance payments they say have been wrongfully withheld, even after the CCJ ruled that they must be paid. But did they have the numbers to rattle the BTL decision makers? Jaleeza Roberts was there and filed the following report:
Placards were raised for a second time outside BTL's headquarters this week, but by different actors. Today it wasn't the fiery opposition, but people who used to work here- and are now demanding their severance pay as ordered by the CCJ.
A few handfuls of former BTL employees picketed outside BTL headquarters today- calling for the severance which they say is owed to them.
They did so in front of a shuttered building - bracing not against hurricanes but against the possibility of the type of chaos that unfolded on Tuesday.
And while police outnumbered protestors, the recently formed Belize Communications Workers for Justice questioned BTL's priorities, arguing that while former employees await severance payments sanctioned by the highest court in the land, the company is moving ahead with a plan for an 80 million dollar acquisitions.
Michael Augustus, BCWJ Representative
"All we are asking: pay the workers their monies that is owed to them instead of."
"And then we say it's pittance. It's pittance, because some people, maybe just about 15,000, 40,000, pay the people their money before we go in and say we are going to spend 80 million on an old house, something that means nothing to us. We have fiber at BTL, we have top technology, not the top up that will come and wipe us out soon, but we have better than what Smart have and you are going to give Smart the owners, the Prime Minister and his family and the chairman almost 100 million, 80 million."
Meanwhile, BTL executive management fired off a letter accusing the workers of wanting to pull the plug on the company:
Michael Augustus, BCWJ Representative
"There's plugs on my fan. There's, there's a plug on us meeting as a group. What plug?? They know where the blogs are and other things that were said. We are the ones who set up all these lines and everything. We are saying that we know what good stuff we have compared to what we are going to pay $80 million from Smart. There's nothing about destroying the infrastructure of something that we've built. We are into new houses. We're saying, why would we destroy our new house that we put together, well, strong and healthy hills we fought for to make sure it remains ours?"
Reporter
"And do you feel threatened by that letter?"
Michael Augustus, BCWJ Representative
"Well, we do, but there are some of us who fear only God. And I think the majority of all members only fear a God. They are scare tactics. I came out here and I was riled up. I was thankful, grateful that the police are here to protect us because there are some vindictive, evil people in there."
"And I want the public to know we are not in a fight with the police, with nobody."
The cease and desist letter was directed to Emily Turner, a former BTL employee who recently left the company and spoke at a press conference earlier this week.
In the January 29 letter, BTL's internal legal counsel alleges that comments made by Turner could be interpreted as encouraging interference with the company's network infrastructure and service delivery but she says that is their perception but not her reality:
Emily Turner, BCWJ Representative
"I worked 24 years for BTL. I started when I was only 17 years old. There is no way I want to destroy that. That is that is sad. That is an overreaction from a very scared executive team of BTL. Right. And it is sad that they would put things out like that. Now we speak about how proud we are about, you know, about doing building this infrastructure. We saw this tower. There was a different tower there before it was changed. Oh, we saw these things. That was what we were communicating broadly for them now to send a letter to it to insinuate those things. They have put these things out. Nobody was even suggesting something like that. We would never suggest something like that."
But while the BTL Executive leadership may be fed up with this group, the Minister of Labour says it is time for BTL pay up:
Kareem Musa, Minister of Labor
"I do not know if that is the, decision of the board that they will not honor these claims. As the Minister of Labor, I think it's important for me to weigh in, and I hope I'm not doing so prematurely. But this is a matter that has been ventilated all the way to the CCJ. There is no other alternative. There's no other appeal process. And so, in my respectful opinion, if these employees are qualified for severance based on this CCJ ruling, then by all means, man, you have to these people. Because how do you think you're in a position today to be buying out other companies, if it's not on the backs of these hardworking people from the company? And so if the CCJ has given that ruling, then in my respectful opinion, BTL has to pay them."
The BCWJ intends to protest daily for 6 days between 10am to 1pm. Jaleeza Roberts, 7 News.
The numbers we have heard say that BTL has already committed to pay the severance for one group of former employees and that will cost approximately 11 million dollars. If they include this group - the. Projection is that it will cost another 12 million dollars. Presently, reports indicate that BTL has been getting several legal opinions to examine the issue.
