A week ago, we told you about our reports that the Ministry of Agriculture intends to hire the retired PUP Parliamentarian and Minister, the 80 plus -year-old Florencio Marin Sr.
As we reported, a memo from the Ministry of Agriculture, dated April 26, said that the retired PUP politician/minister is being retained on a 1-year contract to act as an advisor to the Ministry of agriculture for an annual salary of $36,000.
On Monday's news, you heard Henry Charles Usher, the Minister of the Public Service, offer a stout defense of that decision, but the Public Service Union doesn't accept those arguments. From the union's perspective, there are public servants whose expertise is being dismissed to hire the elder Marin - who retired from the House of Representatives after an unmatched 40 year term. Here's how President Dean Flowers framed that counter-argument in the context that retirees shouldn't be allowed to hinder the upward mobility of serving public officers:
Dean Flowers - President, Public Service Union
"Now, as it relates to Florencio Marin Senior, and the recommendation that was sent to the Ministry of Finance, by the CEO of the Ministry of Agriculture, Like most Belizeans, the Public Service Union was surprised to see that recommendation coming from the CEO of the Ministry of Agriculture. It would appear that these kinds of hiring would suggest that we don't have competent public officers within the public service to provide the kind of advice that is necessary to these technical officers. Immediately following the November 2020 election, we saw the Minister or the Ministry of Agriculture hiring an entire series of consultants, including several relatives/advisers. This administration continues that practice today to date, by now hiring Florencio Marin Sr. As I understand, the request was supported by Finance. It is unfortunate, as you rightly said. The fact that he has the experience and knowledge, or the experience and age — sorry — as well as knowledge, does not equate to that he's competent enough to provide any advice to the chairman of the board as it relates to the current situation. I think that as you rightly alluded, the Ministry of Agriculture has a lot of young people. And it's the Ministry of Agriculture does not have young people, I can say that there are a lot of qualified young people who, I am certain, have submitted their applications on the Minister of Public Service's platform to fill any posts. They can post perhaps within the Ministry of Agriculture. It's an insult to the Belizean public, and it's a disrespect to the young voters and the young population of this country by this administration — another insult because clearly, this is a practice in which they continue to employ dinosaurs, who really and truly — I am — I would say without being disrespectful. I believe they have a difficult time staying awake for 8 hours a day. So, it's throwing away money at an individual who does not need it, who this state has taken care of from [the] cradle. And clearly, they want us to take care of him until his grave."
