Coalition says teachers won’t get raise on G.O.B.’s schedule

Tanya Williams

The potential of a commercial oil find by Maranco Energy Belize Limited in northwestern Orange Walk was used by Prime Minister Barrow much like a dangling carrot back in April, during negotiations with the unions over much delayed salary adjustments.  The likelihood of a wage increase for teachers and public servants is contingent upon an assessment determining the quantity of crude beneath the surface.  While the Barrow Administration has promised an adjustment for the next fiscal year, an independent economic profile commissioned by the Belize Coalition to Save Our Natural Heritage indicates that the earliest government can realize any revenue from the possible production of oil in the north will be in 2015.  It is estimated that proceeds from oil production, should it materialize, will amount to twenty-four million Belize dollars.  News Five spoke with Tanya Williams, executive director of the coalition, who says that the study was conducted by a prominent economist.

Tanya Williams, Exec. Dir, Belize Coalition to Save Our Natural Heritage

“What the assessment showed is that we won’t see any inflows into government revenue from a potential commercial find until 2015.  Of course it is of interest to the public because government has tied that potential commercial find to the adjustment in salaries for public servants and teachers but for the next year which would be 2014.  So, that’s where there was some interest there by the public and for us, it was interesting for us to plot the numbers, crunch the numbers and see what it looks like.  For us it seems that it’s not until 2015 that you will see those inflows in government revenues and that is backed up by what the C.E.O. said earlier this week as well.”

Isani Cayetano

“With regards to this particular study, if I may, how did that come about and who were the consultants and the credibility and the qualification of these individuals?”

Tanya Williams

“Because of the coalition this is part of the work that we do but we don’t have all the expertise in-house so we look at people who do have expertise.  This particular person has a PhD in economics and has worked in the oil industry for a very, very long time, not only in his country but internationally.  So, that’s a very credible person for us to work with.  In terms of interest, we have a membership which includes the N.T.U.C.B. and we wanted to see what the numbers look like because it’s an interest group for and so that’s the reason why there was that interest as well for us to look and see if this is possible, what is being said out there.”