As a body the National Trade Union Congress of Belize is responsible for the largest number of Belizeans contributing into the Social Security scheme and when they today held a press conference everyone including ourselves wanted to know the contents of it. Like so many other Belizeans, the NTUCB came out asking questions and telling the nation that the questions need to be answered. They say while their work has just begun they will show their disapproval of the use of Social Security money by demonstrating on Saturday along with the Opposition.
Alfonso Noble Reporting,
The 8 unions combined represented speak on behalf of 15,000 people who are their members. This collective gathering of the National Trade Union Congress of Belize say that come Saturday they'll be mobilizing their membership to come out and vent their frustration with the social security situation.
Harris Patnett, NTUCB
“All the Belizean people here do not agree with the section of loans and how it is given. We do not agree with what we have heard in the media and we intend to do something about it and we intend to show our solidarity in this manner. And we can agree as a group, as a bloc, that we will join this demonstration. We will join the demonstration and we will show our support that we do not really support the whole situation.”
Dylan Reneau, PSU
“As a sign of protest the PSU calls on all its members to come out to the non-partisan protest march on Saturday to show our displeasure with the management of public funds. We either let politics control and ruin our lives or we the people now need to send a message, to those we elected to govern us, that we will not tolerate corruption anymore.”
And they claim they are not taking it anymore because various calls on the Social Security Board to disclose details of its operations have been met by executive stonewalling.
Anthony Fuentes, BNTU
“Despite the fact the NTUCB, the Belize Chamber of Commerce, and the Belize Business Bureau were promised more Social Security documents by Wednesday August 18th these were not forthcoming even after letters were faxed and phone calls were made. We view this as being disrespectful to our social partners.”
Harris Patnett,
“We have faxed letters reminding them of our request as members of the board and still we have no response. We will investigate thoroughly what transpired in the Social Security Board before our tenure because most of these things happened before we were members of the board. Tomorrow something else might pop-up if there is not full disclosure on what happened with Social Security. So if something else pops up tomorrow the press will continue to say that the union isn’t saying anything and all this is happening. So we are saying that we need the proper information before we come before you and divulge any information.”
And it so happened that for Patnett, that information came to him today. In fact he admitted not knowing of the latest investment of social security money in property on the northern end of San Pedro just this month. For answers, this board member had to turn to the press.
Harris Patnett,
“Could you give us an indication as to where that $7 million is going?”
And while he, as a board member of Social Security scrambles to find answers, another union leader Dylan Reneau stated his union's position on the misuse of Social Security Board money.
Dylan Reneau,
“The SSB has been manipulated and used as a slush fund for political gain. But it begs the question, what was the $1.4 billion in debt for? The government has used the SSB to build houses and invest in economic development; fund healthcare through the NHI; and fund poverty reductions through the non-contributory pension. Again what happened to the taxes and the foreign debt incurred? The Public Service Union is truly concerned about the state of the SSB fund especially considering government’s intention to revamp our government pension scheme. Again in hard times government usually says let’s see what we can cut from the public service. From the bits of current information provided by the Social Security Board, the unions have deduced that the workers social safety net is being compromised in an effort to fulfill manifesto promises.”
Anthony Fuentes,
“The misuse of Social Security funds is also a blow to hardworking contributors of the scheme. We are also concerned that the hard earned monies we the workers pay in every week to Social Security should be safely secured and properly managed and available to pay our various benefits and pensions when these are due.”
And to ensure that happens, the unions are calling on the Senate to conduct a probe of Social Security. The Belize Workers Union's President, and also Senator Rene Gomez says that the call on the Senate has been made by 7 of its members.
Dylan Reneau,
“The union reiterates its call for the Senate to exercise its legal authority to investigate the investment portfolio and decisions of the SSB and for an audit of the SSB fund to be undertaken immediately.”
Anthony Fuentes,
“We further reiterate our position on calling on the Senate to truly exercise its powers under the power and privileges of the National Assembly Act 23 to immediately conduct an independent public hearing on the Social Security issue. We fully re-instate our position for an independent audit of the Social Security fund.”
Senator Rene Gomez,
“We believe as the Senate and the maximum governing authority more than any Commission of Inquiry has the power and authority to exercise such a venture as to probe into the accounts, not only Social Security but even into those who have loaned money for them to open their accounts and to see what they have done with the monies, the worker’s money, and even the private sector’s money. So we have the legal authority and support mechanism to carry out this exercise, to probe into these finances that have been lent out from Social Security Board.”
But while the Senate has the power to probe, only the membership of these unions truly has the power to publicly agitate for changes in the way their social security money is spent.
And while the National Trade Union Congress today announced that it will be participating in Saturday's demonstration, the Belize Business Bureau and the Chamber of Commerce also announced that they'll be supporting the demonstration.
Arturo Vasquez, President Chamber of Commerce
“We will be appealing to our membership to go out as individuals but the Chamber will not be out there behind a banner of the Chamber. But I think the demonstration will show that people are dissatisfied.”
Dr. Cardo Martinez, President Belize Business Bureau
“We support the objective of the parade which is to allow the citizenry a space to protest. But as a Board we cannot mandate our memberships to go out here and parade.”
“Because it is organized by a political party yes and we cannot give an instruction to go out and parade. But we are saying that we support the cause of what the parade is about which is to protest. We have had emails from members who are saying, regardless of, they consider the matter of such an importance, that regardless of whether they are tainted or regardless if they are put at risk they will come out. We should have taken the initiative.”
With all that support, all that's left to be seen if the UDP can muster the muscle to mobilize the kind of massive showing it needs to validate its viability in a time of widespread resentment.