Unions call on public to demonstrate against BTL
The number of unsatisfied BTL customers seems to be rising as fast as local telephone rates. This morning, organisers of a protest against the telecommunications giant dominated the radio waves as they petitioned for public support. Representatives of the Belize National Teachers’ Union and the Public Service Union say they are totally against the price hikes and they want others who feel the same way to join them in the streets of Belize City to say so.
George Frazer, Secretary B.N.T.U.
“We consider the increase to be high handed, arbitrary and very abusive, out of hand.”
Janelle Chanona
“Do you think you’ll get the support you’re looking for tomorrow?”
Lascelle Arnold, Concerned Citizen
“Definite, definitely we’ll have the support. If you listen to the talk-show this morning or to people on the streets, people will come out. We have schools coming in from Boom, calling in and saying that they’ll take off the day and bring in the students and teachers. We have people from Orange Walk, Belmopan, and a lot of businesspeople letting off the workers to come to the demonstration. So we definitely will have a big turnout. One of the main things that we want to do, is that everybody bring out a phone. It doesn’t have to be an old one, it can be a new one, because if something happen to it, B.T.L. will have to give you one back if they want you to use their service. And if the people come out in numbers, what will happen, the P.U.C. on the eleventh will have to make a decision based on number of people who came out. So the more people come out, the better for us. And if the government and P.U.C. don’t act based on the people’s outcry, then we will have to take serious action, such as not paying our bills for January, and other serious measures that we will not mention right now.”
George Frazer
“Apart from that too, there’s a cliché in Spanish that says “Solo el pueblo salva el pueblo.” Which means, only the people can save the people. And ultimately people have to come out of this culture and mode of being afraid.”
The demonstration is slated to start at 10 o’clock at Constitution Park near the Pound Yard Bridge, then into Orange Street and finally through the Market Square into Battlefield Park for a rally.
