And now that he's back in Belmopan, the key issue facing the public service is the firing of public officers. The more popular term for those firings, 'retrenchment' became a political curse after former Prime Minister Manuel Esquivel agreed with an IMF recommendation in 1995 to trim GOB's wage bill by sending home nearly 800 public servants. In fact some would say the R word was the nail in the coffin of the UDP in 1998's devastating general election loss.
And that is why concerns were raised last month when government announced it plans to save $11 million dollars on its wage bill. At a May 27th press conference, government said it would realize the savings by cutting contract officers and a wage freeze. But while some contract officers have gone and increments are frozen, government has now turned to open vote workers. And as we reported, the plan seems to be to stagger the terminations over a period of time to soften the blow.
But whether they call it cost containment or cost cutting, government workers are being sent home. How much have gone? And how much will go? No one knows an accurate count but to put a face on this latest round of firings, tonight we will introduce you to two long serving public servants who were suddenly sent home last week from the Police Department. They told Keith Swift their stories.
Delita Moody, Says She was Retrenched
"I've been working for the Police Department from the 3rd February 1992 as the Firearms Clerk."
Shirlene Sabal, Says She was Retrenched
"I've been working in the Police Department for the past 9 years in the Accounts Section."
Delita Moody and Shirlene Sabal had been working a combined 22 years at the Police Department's Raccoon Street Station. I say "had been working" because their years of service came to an abrupt end a week ago when they received a faxed letter from Home Affairs CEO Alan Usher terminating their services.
Delita Moody,
"Mr. Jeffries told me they had a letter for me so I took the letter from Mr. Jeffries and when I read it, he asked me if I had any questions and I said I don't have any questions other than on what grounds you terminated our services. He told he didn't know because this letter came from Belmopan, they had faxed them down."
Shirlene Sabal,
"I got a call from Miss Moody asking me if I had heard what happened. I said no and I asked her what it was, she told she had bad news for me. She told me she got her letter and they had one for me. I asked for what and she retrench. She told me to go to work the next day like nothing happened, in your uniform as usual, and play it cool. I said okay and Tuesday morning I went to work and they told me Mr. Jeffries wants to see me. I said okay and Mr. Jeffries called me to his office and said he had a letter for me. He said your services were terminated. I asked him why because when I opened the letter it had no reason why."
And just like that - Sabal and Moody along with about 20 other civilian employees from the Ministry of Home Affairs received termination letters without any stated reason other than "your services are no longer required." These now former public servants say they don't know what government calls this but they do know they are the victims and they are the faces of an unofficial retrenchment.
Shirlene Sabal,
"Why we? That is what we want to know. We know we can't get back our jobs but we at least want somebody give us the answer."
Keith Swift,
Government would say this is not retrenchment.
Shirlene Sabal,
"What is it if its not retrenchment? This is just like retrenchment because we don't have our jobs anymore. Up to this point I still can't take it, I really can't take it. This morning I got up to go to work, to go to a work but..." [Sobbing]
Delita Moody,
"Its very hard on us because I was working for 13 years, Shirlene for 9, and to adjust ourselves to another job its hard for us. It's very emotional but only because we try to just be professional and don't let our emotions show but its very hard for us; who feels it knows it."
It's emotional to talk about for Sabal and Moody because they were two working mothers who both have children in school...and bills to pay. Now they still those children and those bills but no work and now with their source of income cut - they are left with few options.
Shirlene Sabal,
"How will we survive? We can't even send our children to school. I have 5 children and all of them go to high school. I am a single parent and in these times, come on. You can't tell a school you will owe them school fees or registration because your child will be out of a space. I have 5 children: one is in sixth form, one is in third form, one is going into standard 6, and the other is starting pre-school. I am a single parent. Anybody who has a vacancy could maybe contact me on my cell number 601-6321 or my home number 227-4499. I really need a job."
Delita Moody,
"The thing that really gets to us is the way they do it because probably they should have wait until after school begins in September or thing so that we could get our children back in school. I have two children presently going in third form, one at Wesley College and one at Gwen Liz, and another little one going to standard four. Me myself was enrolled at sixth form at St. John's College and I wanted to go back in September and now this is hard for me and I can't do that. Up to now we haven't gotten our money, we haven't gotten our pay or severance or whatever they are going to give to us. That is what we are waiting on right now to try to get our children to register and get their schoolbooks and uniforms and things. I don't know when they're going to give that to us. "
"We are hardworking people. We are there every minute of the day. All through the demonstrations and thing, we haven't missed one single day; we stayed in our office. It's harder for us than the ones who were out there and the people who just come behind us and they let us go and leave those ones there, its very hard. I didn't think we would be first. I thought the contract officers would be first because there are a lot of contract officers getting bigger pay than us that maybe they can save us and send those home. I hope whoever is responsible for this is listening out there and try to give us some answers."
And today as they held their termination letters - it was apparent the "your service is no longer required" isn't the answer they are looking for.
As mentioned, both Sabal and Moody claim even though they were terminated a full week ago, they still have not been paid off. They also claim they have made multiple attempts to get an audience with both Home Affairs CEO Allan Usher and the Prime Minister but they have been unsuccessful. Both women are offering themselves on the job market and if you can assist with a job, Delita Moody can be contacted at 601-3771 or 202-5063. Shirlene Sabal's numbers are 227-4499 or 601-6321.
