This morning, anyone trying to do business at the Ministry of Natural Resources in Belmopan was greeted by closed doors. In a remarkable move, the majority of the staff, some reports say as many as 75%, left work or did not come to work in protest of their Minister John Briceno's demotion yesterday. A statement purporting to be from the staff of the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment says that the Prime Minister's decision to demote Briceno is a clear case of poor governance. With that, various sections of the Ministry, including the revenue section, were closed down this morning as staffers just did not show up to work and others left. Their former Minister John Briceno says he was moved by the decision.
Hon. Johnny Briceno, Former Minister of Natural Resources
"I must tell you I was actually touched when I was called this morning and told that some commotion was going on at the office in Belmopan and that many members of staff did not show up to work in solidarity with myself. I was very touched by these people. These are professionals and I have asked that they should go back to work. They serve a government, they don't serve a person.
Just the mere fact that they are allowed to do that for me, it touches me and I am humbled that these people are prepared to take a stand because there can be repercussions for those decisions and I just hope and I implore to the government that no one is victimized, to try to bring them back and to continue try to have that unity that has been built over the past nine years."
Jules Vasquez,
These people are standing with you and you're not standing with them. These people are saying the Prime Minister was wrong, he did it for the wrong reasons and he did the wrong thing and you're telling them no, he is right.
Hon. Johnny Briceno,
"I did not say I am not standing with them and as I said I am touched by the decisions and it is a brave act what they did. I am sure it took a lot on their part but at the end of the day I think they have made their point but as a Belizean, we all have our right to make our point or our view known. They have made it known."
And while Briceno hopes no victimization comes to those who supported him we are told that the locks on the Ministry's Offices were changed today.
