BEL disputes allegations of retrenchment
In this week’s issue of the Guardian newspaper, it is alleged that the Belize Electricity Limited is either retrenching or pressuring workers into early retirement. Today we spoke to BEL’s Corporate manager, Neville Samuels, and he says it’s just not true.
Neville Samuels, Corporate Communications Manager, BEL
“In today’s issue of the Guardian it mentions that there is a retrenchment at BEL. That is in fact untrue. What we have here is an early retirement programme, a voluntary requirement programme, which was requested by employees back in 1999. The programme allows employees who have other aspirations outside the company or who want to do other things in their life? They come to us and they say “I?ve served my time, do you want to pay me off so I can leave?” We decided it was something that worthwhile in pursuing. We met with the union and we decided that it was worthwhile.”
Jose Sanchez
“It was also mentioned in the article that the employees are somewhat fearful. That if they do not accept this programme, they might be fired with less benefits some point down the road?”
Neville Samuels
“The whole programme started back 1999 when employees knew that the company was going to be privatized. They were wondering what would happen to their jobs, so they were asking that the company pay them off. It is something that we looked at and we thought was worthwhile pursuing, and it is in progress now. Right now we have streamlined our operations. You have to realize that there are certain functions that we do not need anymore in the company. For instance, we’ve closed down certain plants, in Independence, Dangriga, and so forth. Some of the work that was previously performed, we don’t need anymore, so some people in effect have been laid off because we don’t have the jobs they previously performed. In most cases we try to relocate them or have them do another job within the company.”
Jose Sanchez
“So, you are retraining some workers?”
Neville Samuels
“We try to place workers where they can fit in the company.”
While only twenty-four of BEL’s employees signed up for the early retirement plan, the rest of the workers will enjoy a four and a half percent salary increase and four percent increase in a year end bonus. This is as a result of an agreement between the company and the Belize Energy Workers Union.
