PM Responds To NTUCB Statement

And so while there are savings to be realized in the coming year, Government says it didn't have the money to make the payments in the first place! And that's why the PM made it clear today that from the Government's perspective there's no way this measure of breathing room can be used to try and pay for, or justify a wage increase for teachers and public servants. Here's his explanation:

Prime Minister Dean Barrow
"If of course we were to do anything such as immediately add back on to the deficit that we would just have succeeded in narrowing something like the two hundred and odd million dollars over three years that the salary demands would represent, we would have ended up in a decision where the public and the international community will say to us well you just succeeded in the fool's gold feet of digging a hole to fill a hole and in fact of digging a larger hole to fill a smaller hole."

Today the National Trade Union Congress of Belize - the umbrella group for all major unions issued a statement saying that, quote, "the NTUCB expresss its total and unconditional solidarity the Association of Public Service Senior Managers, the Belize National Teachers' Union and the Public Service Union."

It adds that "proposal of a salary increase�is being derailed by the official side's position that this is not a matter to be negotiated at this time�.the NTUCB registers its complete denouncement of such a stand by the official/GOB side.."

Today the Prime Minister said that there's nothing to denounce, GOB just can't afford it - unless they increase taxes:..

Prime Minister Dean Barrow
"I don't know what there is to denounced - the governments' position was we don't have the money at this time. This is an extraordinary juncture in which to proposed adding over three years two hundred and almost 50 million dollars to the wage bill which already represents in excess of 50% of recurrent revenue and so at this juncture to ask what is being asked putting everything that we are working to secure at risk, jeopardizing the future and obliging if we were to contemplate trying to do this. Its 35% and 30%, its not 30%, its 35% for juniors and 30% for seniors - to oblige us to look at, as one example, raising the GST on the population to an excess of 25% to try to realize the money - to asked us to raise the GST in effect to excess of 25% in order to pay these salary increases strikes me as quite honestly a bridge to far and that is all government has been saying."

Later on in the news, courtesy our friends at PLUS TV - we'll have the comments from BNTU President Dylan Reneau.

NTUCB Explains: Inflation Cutting Into Salaries

In our first segment, you heard the Prime Minister outline Government's financial position and why it can't afford to give teachers and public officers the 30% pay increase they are asking for.

Well, the unions don't want to hear it, and today the NTUCB issued a statement saying that it will, quote "support activities aimed at raising the consciousness of the Belizean populace to this issue." Do those activities include a possible strike? That's what our colleagues at PLUS TV asked President of the NTUCB Dylan Reneau today:..

Reporter
"So then this means that the NTUCB will support the BNTU if its goes on sustain this strike?"

Dylan Reneau, President - NTUCB
"The NTUBC will support the Belize National Teachers' Union, the Public Service Union, and the Association of Public Service Senior Managers in whatever action they intend to carry out."

Reporter
"Is the NTUCB satisfied in the legitimacy of GOB's position that the country simply cannot afford to pay?"

Dylan Reneau, President - NTUCB
"It's a matter of negotiation. Being satisfied? Certainly not because the last time we got a salary increase approval was in 2000, and that would have been prior to 2000, although it was implemented the last tranche implemented in 2005. We have had this situation where the middle class has been losing ground, is basically being narrowed. So we realize that it's time to make this stance, because we have been trying to negotiate for the past four years. These unions have been trying to negotiate, and it has come to this impasse. Now we have this Super bond. We have the payments for BTL and BEL in the near future. So when will we ever get satisfaction with our collective bargaining agreement?"

Reporter
"Would you prefer a increment rather than a tax increase?"

Dylan Reneau, President - NTUCB
"Well that's a very interesting question. I know that Government has been attempting as much as possible to hold down taxation, and we give then kudos for that, but at the end of the day they can;t stop inflation, and that is what is affecting our disposable income. Certainly economists can find ways, and I know we have some very brilliant economists in the Ministry of Finance that can find ways for us to balance this situation."

Reporter
"Now you recent position on this whole thing; will you urge other unions to join behind this effort?"

Dylan Reneau, President - NTUCB
"As I explained to you the general council is made up of all the unions in Belize and so all of them are already behind this situation. I think government needs to take it very seriously because you know how we can be very disruptive and I think the unions took this position simply because of the intransigent position of government."

The teacher's mass demonstration is set for a week from tomorrow in Belmopan.

Channel 7