And while we have shown you extensive coverage of the labour and civil dispute on the ground it remains a still unresolved power struggle between a government grappling for control of a national crisis, and a union determined not to give in until it gets what it wants. Well, as of yesterday, that union has company and major backative. Yesterday evening at 6:00 pm the Prime Minister received a letter signed by the President and General Secretary of the National Trade Union Congress of Belize on behalf of the 15,000 workers represented by the NTUCB's 8 unions. The letter opens by saying, "the NTUCB...wishes to join the thousands of other Belizeans in registering our loss of confidence in your leadership as Prime Minister of Belize." It continues, "the NTUCB therefore calls for your immediate resignation as Prime Minister...as well as the resignation of the entire government of Belize." The letter then goes on to deal with 7 points that the unions believe justify the call for resignation. These include, "the almost absolute disregard for veracity in...your public statements, and excessive foreign loans." It also goes on to talk about the mismanagement of public finances, Social Security, and DFC. In a long and testy history of differences and dispute, it is the first time that the NTUCB has flatly called for the Prime Minister's resignation. Of course, that doesn't mean he'll do it in fact, past history indicates that the Prime Minister of Belize greatly resist being dictated to. But, it's clear the Prime Minister will have to do something to mollify the unions because the Belize National Teacher's Union Council of Management on Saturday voted to support the BTL workers in their plight and to ask the Prime Minister to resign. BNTU's President Anthony Fuentes told us his union's position.
Anthony Fuentes, BNTU President
"The BNTU fully supports the activities of the Belize Communication Worker's Union in fighting to get the 37% of BTL's shares and for the employees to own this 37% so we are in full support and solidarity with our affiliate union the Communication Worker's Union. The BNTU is part of the NTUCB and as you are aware a letter was sent to the Prime Minister by the NTUCB, but our union has its plan of action as to what we are going to do to assist the BCWU in its effort to acquire the 37% in BTL. The letter was sent to him and we didn't mince any words and its clear as to what the Belizean workers want."
Alfonso Noble,
What if he doesn't resign Mr. Fuentes? What if there's no resignation? You've called for this before and you've called for no new taxes and you've called for various other things but they have not been implemented. What if they don't heed to your calls?
Anthony Fuentes,
"Well if the Prime Minister doesn't heed then I believe the other actions we have in store will begin to unfold."
Today the General Secretary of the BNTU and the NTUCB, George Frazer amplified those remarks by the BNTU President. Speaking with the media, Amandala's Adele Ramos asked Frazer why resign and not remove?
Adele Ramos, AMANDALA Newspaper
"Are they joining you in this call for the Prime Minister's resignation and how far are you willing to go get it?"
George Frazer, NTUCB's General Secretary
"Well we had preliminary meetings with them last week Thursday and we are to engage with them again. I think in principle they do agree that we have reached the end of our patience."
Adele Ramos,
"The unions have said okay, reform, resign, or be removed. We even reached the point where we said be removed now you're falling back to resign. Can you explain that to us?"
George Frazer,
"Well its a process. It's a process in terms of the reform measures, some have been taken to the House, but at the time when those statements were made some of these recent things were not known to us. For example some of this recent thing with write-off the millions for Ashcroft; some of these things had not developed and the whole situation has been deteriorating and we have to stop this fool now. People were elected to serve to us and the best interest of Belize, not themselves."
Adele Ramos,
"And if the Prime Minister refuses to resign then what will you do?"
George Frazer,
"We will not speculate, the people will decide."
So with the teachers clearly on board with the communication workers: what's next? Well as Fuentes said, they have their plans. But we do note that the government has been working to find common ground with the communication workers after yesterday meeting with the Prime Minister failed to produce a resolution. As mentioned earlier, government's position is that it will not meet the unions first of five demands: which is that it should give the workers 37% of BTL's shares. Government believes that it cannot commit to give away shares that cost US$35 million. The union's position is that it did the same thing when it accepted a promissory note from Jeffrey Prosser. It's a fairly intractable position but government negotiators have been trying failingly to find common ground. We say failingly because the unions walked out of a ministerial level meeting that was to have been held at 4:00 this afternoon at the Central Bank. The union showed up expecting to meet the Prime Minister but were greeted instead by his negotiating team of Ministers Godfrey Smith, Francis Fonseca and Jose Coye. With that, Union President Paul Perriot and his Attorney Dean Barrow informed that group that they would not be participating meeting. The Prime Minister was also unable to have a meeting with the Trade Union Congress. Apparently, the Trade Union Congress could not round up all 8 leaders and that meeting had to be deferred, possibly until tomorrow.
With those meetings still not held there is no reconciliation in sight. But, we stress it is a very fluid situation and things can change quickly. What we do know is that if the government succeeds in restoring most of the national phone service, the communication workers will steadily lost leverage.
While that's the local battle, internationally, government continues to lose leverage in its battle with a Florida Court. By all indication, the board meeting which would have "purged" the government of its contempt was not held today. Not held because long distance calls were not possible and the meeting depends on teleconferencing with directors in other countries. Without that meeting, unless the judge is understanding of the domestic crisis, the contempt meter continues to run at a cost of US$50,000 a day. Today it reached the million dollar mark and that is U.S. dollars.