After the meeting 7NEWS also spoke to government's lead negotiator Minister Godfrey Smith who while conceding progress was made, said the unions keep changing the rules.
Godfrey Smith, Minister of Tourism and Foreign Affairs
"They submitted a detailed proposal to us today, which was a new proposal different from all proposals that had gone before. We asked for a break, we reviewed the matter, we came back and we able to give them only a preliminary response. Obviously we had not had the time to consult with the Prime Minister nor with the Cabinet on the matter so we were only able to give them a preliminary reaction to the long list of proposals that they brought to the table."
Keith Swift,
You described it as new proposals, they described them as refined proposals. What is it?
Godfrey Smith,
"In my view, it is a new set of proposals. While it does contain some past proposals, there's many new items we are seeing for the first time, so to my mind it's a new package of proposals."
"I have to be frank and say in my respectful view, it changes from time to time. The minute we think we've jumped a particular hurdle, new things are added. In fact in the very meeting we had with the Trade Union Congress today, eventhough they came with a specific set of proposals, new ones evolved on the ground as we were engaging in a set of dynamics with them, so the thing has to try and maintain focus and direction if we are to move ahead. I think the government has shown demonstrably that it is prepared to compromise, we've successfully looked at very serious and substantive package of reforms. But in negotiation and dialogue of this type there has to be flexibility, there has to be compromise on both sides and the goal post can't keep changing all the time otherwise the thing will be drawn out indefinitely without resolution and that is not in the best interest of the country."
Keith Swift,
Was there any discussion on taxes?
Godfrey Smith,
"Yes there was discussion on taxes and basically they have submitted, sorry let me rephrase that, they have proposed some specific tax measures and the proposal includes that the taxes don't come into effect tomorrow."
Keith Swift,
Is that realistic or even being considered?
Jose Coye, Minister of State in Finance
"I would like to add to what the Minister just said that in terms of the presentation today, I would say its somewhat new in the sense that there were some new concepts. What I found very much new is that they began to quantify the concepts, especially in the tax measures area. In the first case there were saying there was no need. But now in this concept that they brought forward to us, they were showing we can bring about the new tax increases through the tax measures but also how we can bring about more taxes through the strengthening of the tax administration. Now certainly one of the proposals in there is that we defer but obviously that is a parliamentary decision but we are committed to look at what they put forward and see how we can work along with them and the tax measures."
And until an agreement is reached, the Public Service Union will remain on strike. They have been on strike since Thursday afternoon and today the general membership of the Belize District Branch met to consider its options. At this point, no hard figures are available to tell us how successful the strike has or hasn't been. But PSU Branch President Jackie Willoughby is undeterred, she told us that as they expected the strike hit GOB where it hurts.
Jackie Willoughby, PSU Belize District President
"I believe that was very effective, especially in the area of revenue. I am not going to give you the figures cause I am sure that you can get them but I want people in Belize to bear in mind that we have a lot of our membership who have been employed on open-vote who fall directly within the delegating legislation's mercy, if I use that, and who are also political appointees. So of course you know there are some level of obligation to those ones and not to veer them or anything but I'm sure they had to give a second thought before they came out. But I'm sure that most offices, from my checks, had in 1 to 2 or the most 3 staff; so me it was successful."
Keith Swift,
So was government not able to collect revenue or at least to the extent it needed to on Friday?
Jackie Willoughby,
"Maybe not to the extent that it needed to on Friday."
