Last week the social partners and the prime minister agreed to hold a senate hearing into the misuse of social security funds. While agreeing to participate, the opposition has frowned publicly on the decision, because they complain that the process will be tainted by the influence of the political hues that control the senate. Well today, Dylan Reneau president of the Public Service Union told us that he feels the same way. While Reneau supports the hearings, he says it's not enough:
Dylan Renau – President PSU
“ I firmly believe yes that the senate hearing will come off a bit off key because we have politics dealing with the issue. Certainly we can’t run away from politics we realize that it is deep within our society but there are certain mechanisms like this commission of inquiry that may be able to give you some sort of impartiality. I know the chief justice Abdulai Conteh, in some of his rulings that have involved public officers he has been very impartial. He does not play politics.
Q: “What’s your feeling about the fact that any findings of the senate hearing will be referred to the National Assembly for final review and recommendation?”
“We have to seriously review that because the National Assembly may get that and sit on it for a couple months and then as the Prime Minister had said maybe this thing will blow over like the wind. We need to deal with that. I know that with the commission of inquiry the report would have been sent to the prime minister yes, but also we would have that influence at that point in time to put pressure on the prime minister to do some action on that report. And even the commissioners themselves if they can initiate it through the secretary, push for some legal action through the director of public prosecutions for some legal action to be taken place.”
Q: “So but everything you are saying sounds like you would prefer a commission of inquiry to a senate hearing.”
“Well Jules looking at it I don’t see why two of them can’t take place. I have pushed for the senate hearings, I do believe it is a necessary reform process but also the critical issue of Social Security Funds, I think that a commission of inquiry to give an impartial, independent view on the matter is necessary. And I am firmly calling on the prime minister to set up that commission.”
Q:“What is the sentiment that you get from these people who you represent?”
“Well Jules I recently attended a branch meeting in Belize city and the sentiment is that public officers are really upset about what transpired at SSB and I think the government needs to really pay attention to this issue because you all are aware in 1981 the Public Service Union led a revolt for the Heads of Agreement. The prime minister knows the power of this organization and the sentiment that has been building up in public officers over the years may soon boil over. And I think we seriously need to look at this issue especially this one because at the end of the day when they retire its their money that won’t be there.”
Tomorrow, the senate will have a special sitting to select the president of the select committee which will chair the hearings.