B.N.T.U. Will Act if Needs Be

Critics of the B.N.T.U. have asked why its national president Elena Smith has been silent when it comes to the new government.  February eleventh will mark three months since the People’s United Party formed government. The Briceño Administration is facing incredible challenges; the economy has yet to make a bounce back.  The COVID-19 pandemic lingers, and as PM John Briceño said it, government “bruk.”  So is the B.N.T.U. as the watchdog union is keeping a close eye on this administration?

Hipolito Novelo

“The Belize National Teachers Union was a monster union under the Barrow Administration in terms that the union was willing to call out the then government and lead wars against corruption. Is the union prepared to do so? They say Senator Elena; you have been awfully quiet since the P.U.P. won two months ago.”

Elena Smith

Elena Smith, National President, B.N.T.U.

“We have to understand Hipolito that right now we are at a place where gathering are limited and so even if we wanted to take any actions against the government. Even last year we had some issued with the ministry and we couldn’t take any action because of the situation at hand. So we have to understand that. That is one. Secondly, the government just got elected a few months ago. We are monitoring and we gave them a chance for them to meet with us so that we can share with them some of our concerns. If it is that we don’t get those issues addressed then we have said to them we will do what we have to do. So this is not where B.N.T.U. does not want to stand up against this government. It is the time right now we cannot do it, but two we have not gotten at that point where we are at an  impasse and take industrial action.”