So, as we told you last night, teachers are getting that $100 Christmas bonus from the Government of Belize, and so are public officers.
Yes, it's official, the hundred dollars that so many have publicly mocked will be deposited into their accounts - at the end of the month.
The President of the PSU has always been kind of cagey about it - because it would be graceless to shun a hundred dollars in such hard times.
Now that it's official - we asked him about what we saw on a pay slip:
Dean Flowers - President, PSU
"I must say that I was very surprised when you sent me a payslip which clearly depicted the 100 dollars on that payslip, I can state to you that I have received my payslip and I'm guessing mines mines be listed in the end of month payroll for the 15th I don't believe public officers have received that 100 dollars. They are a great majority of public officers who are saying look, I didn't have this in my bank account so if they deposit I'll take it and spend it and there are also thankful for it and then of course there is also a lot of public officers who felt some categorize it as a baba that is pushed in our mouths so that we stop complaining. My advice for public officers who have in fact been vocal about it and who have voice their dissatisfaction is look, Christmas is a time for giving and so if it is that you don't appreciate the gesture of the government then my recommendation is that these individuals look around in their communities, I believe 100 dollars can buy 5, 6 big chicken and give the people within your community who ordinarily have a chicken to bake for Christmas, this also presents an opportunity for us as public officers to be givers but we cannot condemn the 100 because really and truly other people within the public service, several of our brothers and sisters are also grateful of it, so it's a double edge sword for me."
Jules Vasquez
"A lot of public officers have soured on the government, a government many of them help to elect. A lot of people feel that when they cut their salaries by 10%, they felt betrayed by the PUP. Will this 100 soften their hearts?"
Dean Flowers
"It will not soften our hearts and I speak as a public officer because it does not help to fix the many ills that plague the public service and it does not fix the thousand of dollars that was taken from us."
