But those cost saving measures weren't the only recommendations made by the unions. They also want the government to send home the FinSec.
According to the first vice president of the PSU, the Financial Secretary, Joseph Waight, had a mandate to ensure that the government was spending in a transparent way.
Ten years ago, he was tasked with publishing reports that would detail GOB's expenditure and would allow for the public to closely monitor it to ensure that we would not end up in a devastating financial situation.
Now the unions say it's time to hold those with financial responsibility accountable.
Dean Flowers, First Vice President
"The joint unions received a very strong mandate that we ought to call for the removal of the financial secretary and his accompanying staff, especially those that are over the age of 55. Why the financial secretary? In 2010 we knew we had a problem, we knew we had a problem under the Musa administration that ended in
2008. And the IDB came in to assist us and that's why they passed SI 95 of 2010, the fiscal transparency and responsibility regulations of 2010. That objective of that regulation was to force the financial secretary to give us a snapshot of government fiscal strategy and government fiscal position twice a year. So we were to have been receiving a fiscal outlook mid year review report and a final budget outcome report. Detailed in that report would have been government expenses, revenues, assets, liabilities, and also the assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses of every single statutory body out there that government is giving money to and we don't know how they're performing. We have no clue how most of these revenue generating statutory bodies are performing. We don't see the publication of any financial statement similar to us not seeing any where the government finances are being concerned. I think the last statements for the government was 2014. So it is our view that the financial secretary is in violation of the SI of the law similar to the former Prime Minister and he needs to be held accountable."
According to Flowers, these reports were to be gazetted and published on a website for the public to scrutinize.
But it doesn't just stop at the FinSec. The Unions are also looking to get rid of the Auditor General and the Governor of the Central Bank. Flowers explained that their lack of responsibility has also added to the predicament that Belize finds itself in.
Dean Flowers, First Vice President
"Replacement of the auditor general and the governor of the Central Bank upon agreed separation or expiration of contract. And I received a message this morning, why would you call for a removal of the auditor general? And my response was when last have you seen an audit report coming out of the lands department which from 2008 when the Barrow administration took over we've been hearing has been the hottest bed of corruption. Why hasn't the auditor general gone to the lands department since 2008 when the fire sale of properties were discovered under the previous administration to identify the leakages and to continue monitoring that department."
"We talk about ghost workers on the payroll, who's auditing the government staff list? Who is auditing the government's payroll? I can tell you we were provided with March 11th staff list, the FinSec did give us a staff list but we like sleep with our own eye so we start ask questions and ask for assistance and I can tell you that the staff list are different. You have dead people not only on government pension but dead people collecting salary every 15th and ending. That's the role of the auditor general."
"We believe that better competence is out there where the Central Bank is concerned so we're asking look, let's get competent people in place. This cronyism that resulted in that appointment because we respect the governor but we don't believe she has the kind of experience and competence to make fiscal and monetary policies for this country."
Flowers said that an audit of the tax department is also necessary. He also added the accountant general to the list of those who have not fulfilled their duties.
