Can Laid Off B.T.B. Employees Double Dip in Relief Funds?

Dean Barrow

Last week, the Belize Tourism Board laid off a majority of its employees and provided them with compensation packages that should cover the next four months.  But would they still be eligible to receive relief funds since they also qualify as unemployed stakeholders in the deflated tourism industry?

Prime Minister Dean Barrow

“The B.T.B. insists that this was a measure it had to take because all their revenues were drying up, but they were, as reported to me, scrupulous in ensuring that those that were laid off were paid the proper severance benefits so that my understanding, and I am not quoting from the B.T.B. director, it’s not verbatim, but my sense was that in the round those people being laid off or in the majority of cases, their separation package was such that it would see them through for at least three months.  So if such persons applied because as Dr. Barnett told you, they would have to be screened by her and by Chris [Coye] with the assistance of the B.T.B. which the very B.T.B. would be able to say, “But Lord man, so and so can‘t qualify because so and so has received the equivalent of three or four months wages.”