Union Senator Explains her No Vote

Last Monday, Union Senator Elena Smith voted against the Belize Territorial Dispute Referendum Bill.  She did so at the request of the National Trade Union Congress of Belize who took a unanimous position against the passage of the new legislation, which government is using to trigger the May eighth referendum.  During our interview with Senator Smith, we asked her to explain the reason for the no vote.

On the Phone: Elena Smith, National President, B.N.T.U.

“In terms of that vote, it was taken from the N.T.U.C.B. and not via B.N.T.U.   So what happens, what normally happens is that when I get my documents for a senate meeting I would share those documents with the various unions because they have to give input as to their positions on the matters that will be addressed at the senate meeting.  In this case, the bill was shared with all of the ten affiliates and they were asked to provide feedback in terms of their position of what was before them.  I want to make it very clear that we voted against the bill and not whether we are supposed to have a referendum.  I think that the N.T.U.C.B. has made it quite clear that the people deserve a chance to make their decision known.  So we were not debating having a referendum, we were debating the bill in full.”