PACT Explains Restructuring and Treatment of Staff

The Protected Areas Conservation Trust office in Belmopan will be closed for the next week as the statutory body undergoes transition to a leaner, more efficient institution capable of financing the national protected areas system while containing its administrative costs. But the fourteen member-staff got sent home after meetings on Tuesday. They were told that their jobs were reviewed and in most cases expanded under a different terms of reference and were asked to consider staying on. It is all part of a plan, mandated by the PACT Board, implementing the recommendations of an institutional assessment and strategic planning process and change management exercise during 2016 and 2017. But Board Chairman Percival Cho indicated that there are no plans to permanently dismiss anyone.

On the Phone: Percival Cho, Chair, Protected Areas Conservation Trust

“The more important thing is the terms of the jobs have expanded, because of the new responsibilities. So we look critically at each of the positions in the institution to see how we can revise the responsibilities and the roles, so that they match the expected output from the organization, so that was done. And that it’s a procedural thing – it required that employment under the past terms, the existing terms, would be expired and employment under the new terms would be initiated, so that was what was done today.”

Reports to News Five are that at least one employee may not consider coming back because he lost valuable severance from the old contract. Cho reiterated that the rights of employees are important and that was done was to benefit them as well. The PACT Act was first amended in 2015 and revision to its grant investment program followed, making this the final act of the reformation of the organization which was established in the 1990’s.