Perriot's remarks were made at a press conference called this afternoon by the Trade Union Congress. In 1 hour and 45 minutes, the union leaders addressed a vast array of issues ranging from GOB's so-called program of adjustment, retrenchment, government's planned salary freeze, and of course BTL. But at the end of the day it came down to one question: do the unions have the power to remove or immobilize the government? PSU president Dylan Reneau says they do and he called on government to do the right thing: tax the rich not the poor.
Dylan Reneau, PSU President
"The government needs to stop protecting the rich in order for us to move on to the road of recovery. When you add all 5 measures to reduce the recurrent expenditure by $17.7 million, it totals only $15.7 million therefore we figure that $2 million in staff cuts is intended or it hints to why things don't add up in this country, we can't add. The NTUCB cannot support Cabinet's decision to freeze wages, retrench public workers, and further reduce goods and services because it will impede the provision of essential and quality public service which is the backbone of this country's framework. Instead of focusing on union busting and acts of aggression, and intimidation, and agitation, the NTUCB is adamant about defending its position to uphold social justice, equity, and transparency, and demands that government collects all outstanding taxes from the banks, in particular the Belize Bank; increase excise tax near to pre-1998 levels as recommended by the IMF, IDB, and the NTUCB. Government's political maneuverings and intransigence has got to stop because they made the mistakes which has caused this problem, so they must make the tough political decisions to effect the solutions to this problem."
Jules Vasquez,
Government unveiled 'homegrown 2' going on three weeks ago in which it was announced there would be a wage freeze and they would also be retrenchment of open vote workers, since then we haven't heard anything from the unions. How would you respond to the criticism that the union has been too silent?
Dylan Reneau,
"To respond to your question, we have suffered from government's attacks certainly but as you will be aware that with the Trade Union movement we move slowly but surely and this is the first attempt, or this is a starting point for re-mobilization."
Keith Swift,
The cynical Belizean out there might say why are you up there complaining about the government. In April you asked them to resign. Have you taken back that resignation request?
Dylan Reneau,
"The letter has not been withdrawn, that letter still stands. Certainly the support that we wanted to back that strong, very strong, letter we did not get and we have to remobilize and reengineer ourselves to ensure that we do push for that resignation."
Reneau will be running for re-election at the PSU's annual general meeting this weekend in Dangriga. As for the teachers, BNTU President Anthony Fuentes informed the gathering that his union is suing government to recover the salary which was docked from their members who went on strike in April. Fuentes also said that the BNTU and PSU are soliciting legal advice on how to proceed with the Supreme Court ordered inspection of BTL. Michael Ashcroft's various companies and the unions had originally teamed up to ask for the inspection of the Prosser-led BTL. But the court set the inspection date back to when Ashcroft's company, Carlisle ran the company right through to Prosser's tenure. Since then, the Ashcroft has backed off his request because his companies again enjoy a position of prominence on the Board of Directors. But, nothing has changed for the unions and they say they still want the inspection.
