Government, Unions Meet to Tackle Public Sector Reforms

The Government’s Union Consultation Team, led by Deputy Prime Minister Cordel Hyde, met today with the Belize National Teachers Union (BNTU), the Public Service Union (PSU), and the Association of Public Service Senior Managers (APSSM) to discuss critical public sector reforms.  The meeting focused on enhancing governance and improving public service delivery. Discussions were guided by presentations from committees addressing revenue collection efficiency, cost-saving measures, and pension reform sustainability.  Additional topics included boosting public officer morale, increasing government transparency, improving asset management, and fostering inter-ministerial collaboration.  Sharon Fraser, President of the APSSM, called the meeting “productive and insightful,” highlighting the committees’ progress in public sector reform. She noted that interim reports show “meaningful progress underway and the critical work still ahead to identify sustainable cost-saving measures and improve revenue collection.”  Also in attendance were the Minister of the Public Service, Governance and Disaster Risk Management, Henry Charles Usher; Minister of Education, Science and Technology, Oscar Requena; and Minister of State for Finance, Christopher Coye.