P.S.U. Prez: Cabinet Secretary Does Not Have Authority Override Legislation

Dean Flowers

The P.S.U. is now seeking legal advice because the Public Sector Emoluments and Allowances Bill, which was passed by the House of Representatives on May twenty-eighth and in the Senate on June fourth, instituted salary cuts across the board. 

Dean Flowers, President, P.S.U.

“My immediate reaction when a copy of the letter was sent to me yesterday was one of a relative of Kendra; the famous Kendra. That was my immediate reaction. I was extremely shocked and surprised and I reached out to my council of management to inform them of it. And then, we then proceeded to have a discussion on that with the general membership last night. What can we, first of all, do legally. When this S.I. was passed and this act was adopted in the House and it spoke to public officers and senior public officers. What are the deficiencies in this act or the S.I. that would allow C.E.O.s to get away with not sacrificing along with the Belizean people? That’s the first avenue to get a solid legal opinion on it and then to write to the Prime Minister to say that based on the law, the cabinet secretary does not have such an authority to override a legislation that has passed through the House and the Senate to now provide for exemption of a special group of special talented individuals.”