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Mar 17, 2005

Unions prepare for Belmopan protest

Story PictureThey reserved the right to strike under a February agreement with Government if their demands for no new taxes were not met. And on Friday, member organisations of the National Trade Union Congress will march on Belmopan to tell the Prime Minister they are not happy with the new taxes that went into effect on March first. According to President of the Public Service Union, Dylan Reneau, while legislators meet inside the House of Representatives, the unions will protest outside.

Dylan Reneau, President, Public Service Union
“We are going to sing our usual songs. We are going to say what we have to say and will be very pointed messages to this government. Certainly, we may bring out those CD’s that we hear ever so often on WAVE Radio, because these things show you the level of arrogance of our government, “These misguided unions”, “This will blow over like a lee breeze”. And certainly we are sending a message: this breeze is getting stronger Mr. Prime Minister.”

Patrick Jones
“Do you think that this breeze will eventually blow the Government out of Belmopan?”

Dylan Reneau
“Well you ask them.”

“Certainly, all indications right now point to a Government who feels threatened. Certainly, they have no recourse when it comes to their behaviour, does not show us that they want to change. So at the end of the day the people will decide that. And that “Reform, Resign or be Removed” was never intended to be anything to incite violence. Certainly all of our protests so far have been peaceful. But certainly we had to make that statement out there because we are sending a clear statement to this government, you have to listen to your people and if you don’t listen to you people, that is a recourse that the people have.”

Patrick Jones
“Do you believe that a change of government would give the unions what they want?”

Dylan Reneau
“Certainly not. I would take it from the position that we have this problem; our Government has not given us any plans on how we are going to solve the debt problem, the tax issue. If a new government would be able to come out there and tell us what their plan would be, then certainly I think we would feel comfortable; but right now, we don’t necessarily have the inside track into the U.D.P. as the Government has been playing us to be U.D.P. spokespersons. And that is the part of the whole dilemma that we are trying to grapple with. The problem will still be there if that happens. We have to know what the plans will be. And I think both parties need to come out to the Belizean people, tell us the whole truth and nothing but the truth and how as a country we will have to move because we will not be able to solve this problem with only one parties support, we have to do it with both political parties.”

Reneau says while the protestors will gather from early in the morning, their permit to hold the demonstration in front of the National Assembly building stipulates that they can only do so between the hours of nine in the morning and two in the afternoon. The last time the unions demonstrated in Belmopan they violated the terms of their permit and in the end were forcibly removed by police.

And while he expects his constituents to come out in full force on Friday morning, Reneau says there have been moves to undermine the protest action. He cited a call to civil servants from Minister of the Public Service Jose Coye to consider the consequences of their actions, if they stay away from the job tomorrow.

Dylan Reneau
“I think it’s also a sign of the time. I think this government knows the power that the people have. They are trying to quell the or squash it in any way shape or form. And their quickest thing is to politicise the issue as they have done with myself and Miss Moya and also to use the element of fear. And his statement about the government is prepared, and I will read it “Public officers should give this matter their fullest consideration and should know that the Government of Belize stands ready to act in their best interest”, not even the people before them “their best interest and the interest of the people” after they think about their interest.”

“So they have been trying to mislead people and scaring people into not upholding their rights. And from the evidence that I have seen from public officers here in Belize City, certainly it has not worked. People are still adamant, are riled up, are upset about what has been happening in this country and they are willing to go to whatever means. They are willing to take that day pay that they put in that circular to prove to government that enough is enough. And the moment you basically lose your workers, you’ve lost everything. And if you continue the way you are going that is what will happen. You will have another strike in this country; another strike that will last so long that I think you will fold.”

But while taxes are the major issue that will fuel tomorrow’s protest, Reneau says unionists will also be standing in solidarity with one of their own, Zenaida Moya, who he claims has been put under heavy manners by the Association of Public Service Senior Managers.

Dylan Reneau
“There was a meeting called by the Prime Minister, interfering in a duly independent organisation. He infiltrated that organisation, created a scenario where they voted against or muzzled Miss Moya because they feel threatened by her statements, her comments, the truth that she is telling. And what happened yesterday at that meeting certainly was unconstitutional because they did not have a quorum first and foremost. So we can question it from that perspective. But I think Sister Moya knows where she stands. She has spoken to me, last night we had a lengthy discussion, herself and myself and I have asked her, the door is open to come and join the Public Service Union, you certainly will not be betrayed–or I wouldn’t say betray–I will retract that statement. But certainly you will feel much more comfortable in our environment. And I think that she has said that she will exercise that right to join the Public Service Union.”

According to Reneau, Moya has filed the relevant documents with the P.S.U. secretariat and as of today is a full member of that union and its executive. At the same time, she tendered her resignation as vice president and acting president of the A.P.S.S.M.


Viewers please note: This Internet newscast is a verbatim transcript of our evening television newscast. Where speakers use Kriol, we attempt to faithfully reproduce the quotes using a standard spelling system.

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