In response to those criticisms, the president of the Mayors Association, Rigoberto Vellos clarified that the topic of a pension is just a proposal floated in a meeting. He explained that it's not a priority for them - but said it's not off the table either. We spoke to him via Zoom this evening.
Rigoberto Vellos, Mayor - Corozal Town
"Like many other topics, when we have Mayor's Association meeting, we discuss many other things, many different things. And when it comes to that particular topic, it was mentioned by certain mayors, but none ever materialized from it."
"I mean, we have not demand anything. We have not made any formal requests. It was a simple discussion like many other discussions we have. I don't think it's a priority right now to even think or be demanding for anything like that."
"We have our priorities straight and which is continue to have a good relationship with our people, continue to work extremely hard, you know, as all municipalities are doing right now. That is our main priority."
Reporter
"But do you think that his criticisms are valid that just by having the discussion, just that this being in the realm of possibility is contradictory to how workers in these various municipalities are being treated?"
Rigoberto Vellos, Mayor - Corozal Town
"Well, you know, I am sure that, no disrespect to Mr. Flowers, but I am sure that he's trying to make a mountain out of a molehill. So everyone is entitled to their belief. What I can guarantee you is that we have never made a formal request or anything that is attached to pensions for mayor."
"The truth is, all workers have a right to join a union and work with a union. I am no one to say you can't or you can. That's a choice that has to be made by individual workers. I would never block off anybody from wanting to join the union because that's their own right, their own responsibility, if that's what they choose to do."
"So I don't see myself, it did shock me because they had invited me to be a guest speaker at their event and I went, you know, and I felt good that they invited me and felt good that I could have been or was a guest speaker."
"So it did shock me for him to say that I block any workers. Like I said, that's a right of a worker and I would never intervene. I would never stand in between. If any worker wants to join the union, they can do it."
"That's their choice. I can't stop that. I'm no one to stop that."
