Chamber of Commerce Pulls Support for Business Shutdown

A shutdown of businesses by members of the business community is off the table. This follows meetings between the Prime Minister and the President of the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry in which the PM made certain undertakings to the private sector. The B.C.C.I. membership, last week Wednesday, agreed to the shut down if government did not meet their conditions for good governance within an established deadline. The PM has made commitments to the following: first, the thirteenth Senator – the commencement order to be signed on this Thursday and to come into effect within three months during which time G.O.B. will work to activate the N.G.O. group. Second; the       Integrity Commission – G.O.B. will make contact with the Institute of Chartered Accountants to receive names to serve as commissioners and to activate the Commission on or before November ninth, 2016. Third; on the Public Accounts Committee – the Attorney General is working on redrafting the respective Standing Orders to allow for inclusion of the Social Partner Senators.  Fourth; in respect of the OSH Bill, the PM undertook to appoint a Tripartite Joint Committee to finalize drafting of a new Bill. Two pending issues involve the signing of the UNCAC and the participation of the Senator Mark Lizarraga on the Senate Select Investigation into the immigration scandal in the period 2011-2013.