By Belize Live News Staff: The National Trade Union Congress of Belize called off a planned protest this weekend and replaced it with a press conference, but the pressure on government has not eased.
The demonstration was to be held in front of the Sir Edney Cain Building, where Cabinet met today, in opposition to the proposed SMART/SpeedNet acquisition.
Cabinet issued a release last week rejecting the deal. NTUCB President Ella Waight said today that the rejection is only the beginning, and that the union body and its social partners have handed government a list of demands with a 90 day deadline.
Among them is a call for a tripartite structure at BTL, giving workers and the business community seats at the board table.
“It’s been done at the Social Security Board, the University of Belize board, many other boards,” Waight said. “It allows for accountability, transparency.”
The unions are also demanding that any outstanding BTL board processes needed to close out the rejection be completed urgently and made public.
“The public should be informed when these processes have been completed, not held behind closed doors,” Waight said.
