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The National Trade Union Congress of Belize has a seat on the Social Security Board but tonight they are saying that the board is making decisions without consultation.
Now the NTUCB has written to the chair of the Social Security Board outlining several concerns.
The first point they highlighted was the decision "to employ a deputy CEO without adherence to proper procedure." This post was apparently created without due process, and with no regard for budgetary implications.
The NTUCB says this decision was made without consultation, despite the high administrative costs at SSB. They add that there are predetermined decisions with some of the directors on the board. Again, the NTUCB says these are done without meaningful consultation with their representatives on the board. The union feels that it's reached a point where its participation at board meetings is, quote, "a facade" and they are simply "benchwarmers."
They are also urging the SSB to take their concerns seriously and address the issues they raised.
And this evening, the SSB chair, Nigeli Sosa, responded via a letter stating that with respect to the deputy CEO post, the position is established by legislation within the Social Security Act. They also state that the position exists within the organization structure and has been budgeted for fiscal year 2024.
They also rebut the NTUCB by saying that all decisions of the board are made in accordance with the act.
And while the SSB addressed all the NTUC concerns, this friction has been building up for some time, and we expect a response from the NTUCB tomorrow.
