Powerful N.T.U.C.B Prepares for National Demonstration
Marvin Mora
Two demonstrations are take place in the next few days against the government. The People’s United Party will take to the City streets on Sunday but before that the unions announced today, they will also stage a demonstration. The National Trade Union Congress of Belize will flex its muscles on Thursday with a protest through the streets of the Old Capital. The powerful umbrella union, which includes the B.N.T.U., the P.S.U. and other unions, is positioning itself to have six demands met by the Barrow Administration. The event will be the launch of N.T.U.C.B.’s campaign, “Only the People can Save the People,” and Thursday’s demonstration is in response to the corruption and flagrant mismanagement of the public’s money that have been plaguing PM Dean Barrow and his government. The latest U.D.P. minister to be accused of gross wrongdoing is former National Security Minister John Saldivar, who after intense public pressure finally admitted that he received money from fraudster Lev Dermen as “campaign financing.” The unions say it is enough and time to take action. On Saturday, the N.T.U.C.B.’s general council met to plot the way forward in their efforts to bring an end to the corrupt practices within the government. The demonstration begins at ten o’clock at Constitution Park. President Marvin Mora says the march is not aligned to any political party but rather to the people.
Marvin Mora, President, N.T.U.C.B
“This is the beginning towards a movement that we hope everybody would appreciated and understand that one it is a movement that is needed, necessary and that it should have happened already. Two, that it is a non aligned movement to any of the major or minor political parties. Three, that it must be, it has to be a movement driven by the people and for the people. We want to be clear here our issues are not directly against any political party. We want to ensure that we all understand our position. The issues raised here are issues of governance. We have to be conscious of the fact that corruption at any level cannot me fully take out of commission but it can be brought down to a significant level that is acceptable.”
Elena Smith
Senator Elena Smith, National President, B.N.T.U.
“We are looking at a campaign titled only the People Can Save the People and if we will have this country then we just join efforts and we must fight to do so and that is why we are starting our campaign.”
Marvin Mora
“The N.T.U.C.B. has in no way been encouraging or wants to encourage violation of any of our laws nor we are encouraging any acts of violence against any citizen or against anybody in this country. We want to be emphatically clear about that. What we are encouraging is a peaceful revolution.”
