As we've been reporting, on Saturday, the Medical and Dental Union will lead a protest against the Universal takeover. So far the Communication Workers have expressed support, as have the teachers, and today the PSU sent out a release saying that its Council of Management has also agreed to support.And while the teachers have stated their support, they will march tomorrow with schoolchildren against crime and violence.
So numerically, Saturday's march, if it is to be a success, will need the support of the UDP. But how much is the UDP prepared to give? The organizers have said they don't want it to turn into partisan event. Today Collet area representative Patrick Faber detailed the level of UDP involvement.
Patrick Faber, Collet Area Representative
"We are giving our support and we are asking our supporters to go out there and support but not to do it in a political or in a partisan way. We are asking them to go out there and to join the unions because they believe in the issues the unions are fighting against. I believe that the issues that they are fighting against are issues that have plagued our country. It does not have anything to do with politics. These are issues that affect every single Belizean out there, including the members of our party so we are asking them to go out there and to join and to give their support. We are urging people to go out there and no we are not paying anybody, certainly we cannot afford to do that and like I said even if we did, we wouldn't do it because we believe that these issues that are being demonstrated against on Saturday are issues that affect all of us one or the other so we must go out there and fight for our country. As a party we have not asked our standard bearers to, we have not given funds to have them mobilize people in that format, no, but we are encouraging people to come out and whatever assistance we can give to help them to come out, yes that will be done."
And while Faber says the UDP doesn't want to paint it red, today Health Minister Joe Coye said that from where he sits, it looks like it's all about politics.
Hon. Jose Coye,
"My response to the demonstration on Saturday is that I am not sure myself what is the motive. I will maybe say here that its quite obvious to some people that it is not just about the health system or about BTL, it seems to be some what also of a partisan element, motivated from a partisan motivation. One member is saying that they are demonstrating because of the lack of information and transparency. Again for the first time I have heard no one say in any meeting that they were not getting information that they should have. So in making that statement to the public, that they are demonstrating for that purpose, I myself cannot see any justification."
