Poised to demonstrate on Tuesday in Belmopan in response to what they term as quote, "disrespect on the part of the Government" over a salary increase, the Belize National Teachers' Union, the Public Service Union and the Association of Public Service Senior Managers, under the umbrella National Trade Union Congress of Belize, met yesterday with the media. Dylan Reneau, who heads the NTUCB, responded sharply to a recent press release by the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which opposes a raise to the public officers. The Chamber release states in part, and we quote, "the Chamber cannot condone the idea of general Public Sector wage increase that may serve to simultaneously reward unproductive or counterproductive work. This would, in the opinion of the Chamber, be a waste of taxpayers' funds", unquote.

President of the BNTU, Luke Palacio, said that the demonstration will be a message to the government for disrespecting them. The government, Palacio suggested, is investing resources in areas that are counterproductive, as opposed to the public service, which employs the vast majority of Belizeans.

Meanwhile, the President of the Association of Public Service Senior Managers, Jose Castellanos, said that what the unions are asking for is not unjustified and compared the Government's inflation figures to their figures.

Palacio discouraged the demonstrators from wearing political colours or bearing banners with personal attacks.

LOVEFM