Tonight, popular opposition continues to take shape against BTL's decision to acquire Speednet. And that extends to the highest reaches of the Briceno administration where there are murmurs of discontent with the deal which will benefit the Prime Minister's family to the tune of 18 million dollars. And while that percolates in the background, in the public eye most notably we have seen the social partners committing to, quote, "pursue all lawful regulatory, parliamentary, administrative, and legal remedies available, including peaceful demonstrations and, where appropriate, seeking injunctive relief as permitted under the Telecommunications Act and any other relief available at law to ensure public interest drives decision-making." End quote. That part about "peaceful demonstrations" put us in mind of 2004 and 2005 when that alliance was forged to great and crippling effect against the Musa administration. Jaleeza Roberts went looking in the archive:
We have seen this joint statement from the social partners including the Belize Chamber of Commerce. And while it's not everyday labor and capital find common cause, it's not the first time.
We first saw it back in 2004-2005-days of protest and unrest.
In March of 2005, The National Trade Union Congress and the Belize Chamber of Commerce led respectively by Horace Patten and Arturo Vasquez actually signed an agreement for a joint plan of action to keep the then Musa administration on the straight and narrow when it comes to reform and taxation.
Why put it on paper, why sign an agreement? Really it is so we can be clear between both organizations as to what we want to achieve. We do understand there may be differences at time. We may be addressing different issues so the document clearly states that there are times when we may want to be addressing certain issues on our own. We may be going after the same objective but in different angles. Like for example Friday there is a demonstration, the Chamber will not be participating in that as an organization but we will be participating as individual members. As to whether we will be closing businesses in the future, there is a possibility.
March 17, 2005Turns out, they did both a shutdown and participate in a massive protest. That shutdown was in January of 2005:
And Businesses Agree to 2-Day Shutdown
The recommendation was a one day shutdown. Interestingly as we presented this to the membership, nobody was satisfied with just one day, the majority was shouting for 2 or more. But I don't feel we need to get too irresponsible at this point. I think we need to address it little by little. So the resolution, to answer your question, is it's a two day shutdown for Thursday and Friday."
January 19, 2005Joining the Chamber chorus, the Belize Business Bureau today called for a 3-day shutdown of businesses.
And the members of the Chamber and the Belize Business Bureau marched with the unions in August of 2004 even if they could not get a blanket endorsement from their divided membership:
We will be appealing to our membership to go out as individuals but the Chamber will not be out there behind a banner of the Chamber. But I think the demonstration will show that people are dissatisfied.
August 26, 2004
We support the objective of the parade which is to allow the citizenry a space to protest. But as a Board we cannot mandate our memberships to go out here and parade.
That demonstration turned out to be one of the largest protests we have ever seen when thousands walked through the streets with a strong and militant message against the Musa administration:
If I didn't come out here I would have felt bad on Monday. This is something I have to do. This is not personal, this is something I felt I had to do.
There is a first step and this is the first step to show the government that this has to stop. You see the banner? Enough.
Well I am hoping to send a clear message to the authorities, to the powers that be, that the people are concerned and the people have perhaps reached the stage of being past concerned and in many instances people are fed up and want to see positive actions in terms of how we handle ourselves and how we manage our resources in this nation.
I am out here for my money. It's time and overtime for people in Belize to standup and say what they believe. This is not about party politics, this is about how much we are paying every month and we don't know where it is.
Well I think the PUP really gone too far; at least some ministers in the government gone too far messing with our Social Security money and the only people who suffer are the poor people.
Just like everybody else I am concerned about the public funds. I know that people are trying to paint this as a political thing but it is not a political thing and I have joined in solidarity with the Belizean people.
That was 2004, and now 22 years later all eyes turn to Belmopan on Tuesday where Cabinet will meet-and, reports suggest, protesters plan to be outside that meeting.
