Corozaleños protest dismissal of credit union CEO
While some Corozaleños were still bemoaning the loss of their goods in the free zone fire, other residents had mercury rising as they took to the streets to protest the dismissal of several employees from the St. Francis Xavier Credit Union. Jacqueline Woods has the details.
Jacqueline Woods, Reporting
This morning, hundreds of protestors, mostly members of the St. Francis Xavier Credit Union Limited, demonstrated against a decision taken by the credit union’s board to remove the General Manager, Vicente Canul. Canul and several other employees were removed from office a month ago amid charges of impropriety.
Vicente Canul, Ex-G.M., St. Francis Xavier Credit Union
“I was put out due to alleged irregularities at my work, which an investigation has found not to be so.”
Jacqueline Woods
“What irregularities?”
Vicente Canul
“That I hired and fired staff without concurrence of the board, but it was found that that is not so.”
We tried to get comment from board members, but were unsuccessful.
Francis Gegg, Advisor
“It was personal and political. And the people decided that they didn’t want this, that their rights as owners, they have the right to determine their board and who manages their institution. Mr. Canul has been when this credit union started twenty-two years ago from nothing. And today they have assets of close to twenty million dollars and they have twelve thousand members.”
Today, the institution remained closed. Canul says an ad hoc committee was formed after credit union members petitioned for a new board to be elected. On Sunday, the committee held a meeting and it was decided that Canul, the accountant, a field officer, and two supervisors could be reinstated. But today when Canul and his team of supporters arrived at the institution, they were denied access to the building.
Francis Gegg
“No one has the right to prevent them the right to access. It’s like going into your home and the police standing in front of your home and saying you can’t come into your home. It is their building, it’s their money, and the police are preventing them from walking into their building and to install their own manager and their own board. That’s what we have here, we have totalitarianism in the making, where the police are being used to pressure and oppressed the people.”
Canul says they had since been informed that Sunday’s meeting was illegal and the matter needs to be properly addressed before any decision is made.
Vicente Canul
“Mr. Aaron Ogaldez, who was appointed by the registrar to be the registrar–according to him–agreed that that way to go about legalising the decisions taken yesterday, is to call a special meeting of the members Sunday at 10:00 a.m. at the Civic Centre in Corozal Town. And that was agreed upon by the two parties.”
Jacqueline Woods
“When will you be reinstated?”
Vicente Canul
“After the meeting, after Sunday’s meeting.”
Reporting for News 5, Jacqueline Woods.
While News 5 was unable to get comment from the credit union’s board members, it is believed another meeting will be called to discuss this issue.
