We asked Elena Smith about the release from the BCCI and she said that either way the economy will be affected whether it's through the protests or the salary cuts. But she did agree that the two parties need to come back to the table. She is hoping that the government will agree to continue negotiations in good faith and to seriously consider the unions' recommendations. She also hopes that GOB would be transparent with its own proposals.
Elena Smith - President, BNTU "It will continue to hurt the economy because if they are insisting on cutting salaries the way they are then this will continue to impact our economy. You cannot expect to fix something over night that took so many years to get to this point. It's unfair to have the Belizean people believe that with all of the complaints that they have made when they were opposition, of all the things they cried about because things need to be different, now you expect that by cutting my salary you are going to be helping the economy? You are going to be making it worse, so it simply means that more of us will now fall into the poverty category now. I agree with BCCI in terms it's not going to be good for the economy but at the same time you cannot expect that the workers will just give up and say because it is not good for the economy I will let you do me what you want to do to me, so I will let you give me a longer bukut because it's not good for the economy, that's not how it works. We are equal partners and as such, since they are saying we have been having good faith discussions, then come back to the table and let us finalize these matters, put everything in writing, make them clear that everybody can have a full understanding of what it is that you are offering, not just telling me that the bank will have 5 million dollars but give me those details. You are telling me that my teachers will get data package through BTL that is going to be good for them, tell me what you as the government are offering to me."
