And on August 19th, Dr Leroy Almendarez will be taking over from Ruiz as SSB CEO. Today we spoke to him about what the transition will look like going from Beltraide to the Social Security Board. He explained that he recognizes the responsibility since now he will be handling the contributor's money.
Dr Leroy Almendarez, Incoming CEO, SSB
"In terms of transition, I must say that understanding the role that social security is supposed to play in our society, the United Nations basically said it's a human right when it comes to social protection, when it comes to the creation of employment and skill building and those kinds of things and the fact that you should be able to participate so for me now it's really moving into a situation where I think I have an understanding but it's until you enter the organization then you get a full understanding but for me, like I said, one of the major things where SSB is concerned is the fact that it's contributor's money, it's employees and employers' money. If you work for yourself, it makes it even more challenging and so the security of that fund, the fact that the fund must continue to grow but not only that, I heard, I was reading, and I read this comment where the grandchild is saying to the ancestors, you ensured that I was protected when I reached that age when I could work because the fund was sustainable. That becomes my job to lead but it's not really and "I" thing, it's a "we" thing, it's a team thing and so for us it's to look futuristically, you heard about the reserves, those surpluses, we have to find meaningful ways through upper risk analysis and ensuring that whatever those funds are being utilized and invested in are funds that will give us the required return because its through those return on investments and income that comes from that will help us as SSB to really sustain, not only sustain but to meet those benefits."
But he now takes this position at a time when there is some tension within the board. We asked him how he plans to work alongside the unions:
Dr Leroy Almendarez, Incoming CEO, SSB
"I would suggest that the CWU should have read chapter 44 of the laws of Belize. In the law itself, in the SSB act it states that the board can in fact employ an assistant CEO, which all of us know means a deputy CEO and so with that in mind, so it's legally mandated in there. It's optional yes but the fact that it was slated for an the fact that position was created then it's just a matter of ensuring that at some point in time that you employ an individual that was suitable and to ensure that it was properly advertised because those are the things that were emphasized because even the post that I will be occupying. The CEO's post must be properly advertised, it must go through a process of filtering and ensuring that you select a person who is suitable and capable to do the job and it's the same thing with the deputy CEO so in terms of that deputy CEO's position, it actually exists within the legislation."
Courtney Menzies:
"And how do you plan to work with the CWU on their issues with the CBA?"
Dr Leroy Almendarez, Incoming CEO, SSB
"I consider the unions, let's say that, remember they represent labor. It's important for them to protect the people that they represent because everybody cannot come to the table. I intend, and I say I in this case, to have a relationship, to have open dialogue with the unions. In essence, let it not get to the public, the door will be open where we can discuss these things in advance so that it does not have to be escalated. Where we think that it requires a situation the board needs to intervene then the board needs to listen and to take that information to the chair and say okay we need to look at this more closely. I believe that for every situation, there is a resolution. And so when I saw for example the black ribbons on some members of staff, knowing that I was going to take over, I said, okay, how did we get here? Because where I work now, we don't get there, right, we resolve internal issues even in the absence of a union. They represent the people that they represent, even if they are employees of social security, it is my job, working along with the deputy, working along with the management team, and in cohesion with the board to make sure that the work that we do are in fact all for the benefit of those internal."
