And that's exactly what the president of the Public Service Union pointed out today. He clarified that it was the CEO's under the Barrow Administration that had their allowances reduced and that these new CEO's came in with the agreement that they would remain with that reduced amount.
And as such, the union feels it is unfair and unjust for their allowances to be doubled, especially when the increments for the public officers are still frozen. He says if their allowances go up, the officers' increments should go back to normal.
He also added that it is not just a PSU fight, but a fight that all Belizeans should be involved in since it is their money that's being used to fund the CEO's living and entertainment allowance.
Today via Zoom, he reminded the media of the sacrifices the public officers made.
Dean Flowers, President, PSU
"What was agreed with the government and what was implemented was for public officers to sacrifice their increments. That was our sacrifice, we would sacrifice our increments. In addition, contract officers would have taken a 10% cut on their contracts, where HOD's were concerned, they were to take 50% cut on their housing and allowances as well as CEO's. You would recall that in 2021 we were very upset when we found out that CEO's would not be suffering a pay cut. Would not be suffering any form of economic cuts because as we classified them and continue to classify them, they are the special animals in this animal farm that we live in, I guess they're the pigs. When July came, everybody that had made a sacrifice via their salary, that was returned to us on July 1st 2022, and to our surprise, we now see this memo which is saying that CEO's housing and entertainment allowance ought to be restored. None of these CEO's ever entered into a contract with the government of Belize for housing and entertainment allowance for $1,500 which was subsequently slashed. That adjustment to housing and entertainment allowance took place under the Barrow administration. So, for the prime minister to attempt to mislead, deceive this nation is unacceptable but not surprising because he does that even in the House. For them to try to justify giving them an additional $750 a month to a total tune of $1,500 in entertainment allowances alone is insulting and unacceptable. We have public officers that are earning less than $18,000 per annum when these people are walking home with that in a singular allowance because we're not talking about their motor vehicle allowance and their telephone allowance which as we all know are over in the thousands as well. If it is that CEO's can get back what was never taken from them then the Public Service Union of Belize on behalf of public officers must demand the immediate unfreezing of our increments because that was our sacrifice. And I want the media and the Belizean people to understand that it is not only public officers that are paying, it is you who are watching this newscast that are paying for CEO's to continue to earn these ridiculous sums of money and to continue to get this ridiculous allowances all at your expense."
Flowers also said that the union would be coming up with a plan of action to ensure that government responds to their call that the increments be unfrozen.
