As we told you in our top segment - agitation by the social partners against the BTL acquisition off Speednet continues and tomorrow all eyes turn to the Social Security Office in Belize City where the UDP will be protesting.
And the NTUCB was supposed to be joining them - but they were denied a protest permit.
President Ella Waight told us that they applied for a permit but were denied via phone call on the basis that the UDP is getting its permit for the same place, same time. Waight told us that she views it as a restriction on their rights as their application was denied over the phone with no written explanation. Nevertheless, they will be attending the UDP protest tomorrow. Here's what she said in a Facebook live video where she called on everyone to come out:
Ella Waight, President NTUCB
"My request to you. So please, please stop going behind your phones and your tablets and your computers and typing, putting in yes I support and solidarity and the NTUCB should do this and do that. You are, you once you work, you remember NTUCB because we represent workers not just unionized workers but all workers in this country. So you are NTUCB. So when you say what is it NTUCB doing and you're not doing anything, we don't do anything. You must get out there even if it's for 10 minutes stand with us. Stand with us for 10 minutes so that we can show that we have the support of workers to say no, no to passing, to no to this acquisition at this point. This has nothing to do with party politics, this has nothing to do with religion, this has to do with you and me that spares that it's country and you and me being included in decisions that will impact us later on in life."
"So with that I would like to invite you to join us tomorrow in Belize City in front of the Social Security Board Office where we'll be protesting, encouraging Social Security Board Directors to stay the course and ensure they protect our money. And if we decide to go out on Friday to demonstrate in front of the National Assembly, then join us as well. If we do not take a stand today, we do not stop this right now, this acquisition. It may be too late weeks from now or months from now when we realize that we have no control, we have no control over our telecom industry. Thank you so much for taking the few minutes to listen to me and I ask again your support. Support you, support us, support the NTUOCB, support workers of this country."
The protest tomorrow is set to begin at 8am tomorrow.
