Teachers lead protest against Social Security
It was not the massive public demonstration the unions were hoping for, but the turnout and conviction of the marchers were still sufficient to keep up the pressure on government to reconsider at least parts of its proposed increases in Social Security contributions. Here’s how it looked this morning in Belize City.
Janelle Chanona, Reporting
This morning, approximately two hundred demonstrators, primarily teachers, lined up at the Pound Yard Bridge in Belize City to protest against proposed increases in Social Security contributions.
With plenty of police presence, the protestors marched downtown to Battlefield Park. But on a Monday morning, these men and women would normally be in front of a classroom teaching, not out on the street, and they’ve taken heat from parents for it.
Rosamond Perez, Teacher
“Look yah Janelle, parents tek teachers fu babysitters and I am none. I am none, I guarantee yuh, I dah nobody babysitter. When it comes to these causes, I’m gonna be out here; definitely gonna be out here. We are no babysitters, look at them, all of them have their children at home too, but parents expect teachers to baby-sit, discipline their children for them and it’s not right also.”
David Leacock, Concerned Citizens Group
“I think the people have to express themselves. I think the people have to let the government know that they get the power from the people and I think we are sending a message.”
A message the unions say have so far fallen on deaf ears…and one they continued to emphasize on the podium this morning.
Anthony Fuentes, President, B.N.T.U.
“We are totally against the increase and the union is willing to dialogue and for consultation. Give us the respect that we due. We are the ones with the ones who empower the brains of our children, let’s respect us, give us what we are due.”
Paul Perriott, Pres., Bz. Communication Workers Union
“The Belizean public, workers on a whole are fed up with the strong tactics by Government. They must remember that we are their employers, we put them there, we voted them on March fifth. We demand respect and we will not rest until we get it.”
Dylan Reneau, President, P.S.U.
“If they insist, we have already set the wheels in motion to do an industrial action, because we certainly believe that if they do this, they noh really worry bout the workers, they noh worry bout we at all.”
The threat of industrial action within twenty-one days is another ultimatum by the unions to the government. According to Dylan Reneau, President of the Public Service Union, the unions have to take a stand now.
Dylan Reneau
“Still we are not convinced of the reason for these increases, it’s not transparent… The Minister of Finance told us point blank that within two weeks he is going to sign those Statutory Instruments and we are making a statement here that we don’t agree with that statement. We need consultation before you make any decision or move. We need participatory democracy.”
Janelle Chanona
“Perhaps all is not well within the union, perhaps you all are not as united as you are trying to come across as. Is that hurting your cause?”
Dylan Reneau
“We don’t think that we are not united, it’s showing out here that we are united in the different branches, it’s showing that we are united. Yes we’ve lost the President of the National Trade Union Congress and I must say that he did the right thing. There was a little conflict of interest and he stepped back because he did not want to hurt the union movement.”
But by all accounts, the unions have had to struggle for public support.
George Frazer
“Again, I would like to send a warning to some of these who double speak, like they had the Chamber of Commerce, the business sector. First they were saying, we deh with unu. We noh want no increase, we noh want this, we noh want that. Once spell even hear they were against the board. We meet with them Tuesday, they seh we deh with unu. By Wednesday, we noh sure weh we deh. Unu betta find unuself, find unuself, because some ah unu, who they give money and they lend unu money, stand up and stay back if unu got some skeleton inna unu closet.”
To date, the meetings with Minister Ralph Fonseca and managers of the Social Security Board have produced little progress. And as emotions on both sides flare up, like all things Belizean, politics is bound to get involved…but that’s the last thing the people on the frontline want.
Rosamond Perez
“I doesn’t think politics has anything to do with it. I dah P.U.P. and I am here, so I noh think it have anything to do with it…because when it comes to my money, that’s my politics.”
