P.S.U. Prez: No Consultation on Judicial and Legal Services Regulation Changes

Dean Flowers

President of the Public Service Union, Dean Flowers, says the P.S.U. has just found out about amendments to the Judicial and Legal Services Regulations.  Those employed under the Attorney General’s Office are no longer guided by the Public Service Regulations. He says he was only made aware of the change this morning. According to Flowers, the amendment was made without consultation with the union or the public officers themselves.

Dean Flowers, President, Public Service Union

“This morning, I received S.I. 29 of 2022, the Judicial and Legal Services Regulation. There is now a Judicial and Legal Services Regulation that governs judicial and legal services officers. These officers were previously under the Public Service Regulation, but of course under the Judicial and Legal Services Commission, but their regulation goes under the Public Service Regulation. This administration, this Attorney General decided that no longer will the public service regulations govern the public officers in the judicial and legal services; that she will put together her own regulation and it was passed via S.I. and it was dated the ninth of February, which I just saw this morning, but I understand that certain officers when I reached out said they got it yesterday. You cannot change the terms and conditions or the re-designation of people post without consulting with their duly and legally recognized representative in accordance with Chapter 304 of the Laws of Belize. And if you want to throw Chapter 304 out the door, then at least respect the Public Service Regulation which mandates that you speak to us. You must speak with the representative when it deals with the terms and conditions of employment, salaries or allowance, grievances and classification of posts. But here we have another administration that is going arrogant in the same manner that we saw under the previous administration, doing as they see fit and throwing all the rules and regulations out the door.”