Minister of Transport Explains Maga Season Terminations

Rodwell Ferguson

On January fifteenth, the Ministry of Transport terminated twenty-four employees at the Novelo’s Bus Terminal in Belize City. Their dismissal comes at the height of maga season and particularly when job opportunities are hard to come by. According to Minister Rodwell Ferguson, whose responsibilities include oversight of the Transport Department, the decision to let go almost sixty workers was necessary. Many of them are open vote workers hired by the previous minister and the simple truth, says Ferguson, is that government is strapped for cash.

Rodwell Ferguson, Minister of Transport

“Those people who voted for me, those people who campaigned for me, their expectations are high and I can see out of those who voted for me in particular, one-third is looking for a job and government doesn’t have the job to offer them.  One time you could have sent them to the private sector, the private sector doesn’t even have jobs to offer them.  So I believe right now, about sixty to sixty-five percent of Belizeans are unemployed and it’s a pity, it’s unfortunate that Mr. Barrow covered all his coffers quite properly.  Even those who had contracts, had bloated contracts but their all protected.  The established workers are protected and if you could remember what he said in 2008, “I’m sorry, I will have to go after the open vote workers.”  And I think when you record my interview and play it tonight you can replay what he said in 2008, it is important for the Belizean people.  I who am a human being and I have a soft heart, it was not my intention but if I did I’m damned, if I don’t I’m damned because my people are expecting me to provide for them, so with that said I can’t answer your questions.”

Reporter

“People may say that this is where a government starts to lose the good will of the people and why would you not take down someone from the top rather than attacking the small people.”

Rodwell Ferguson

“Because it is impossible to take down the ones from the top.  They are well protected.  They are protected by some bloated contracts.  It’s a pity that the small people had to go and I’m a human being, as I said, and I can tell you some of them are already re-employed because of the passion that I have for them.”