Police Deny NTUCB Protest Permit, Unions Reject Joining UDP

As we reported earlier, the Belize Police Department had officially denied the National Trade Union Congress of Belize (NTUCB) permission to stage their own protest today at the Social Security Board headquarters. This move by the department created a forced choice for the unions: stay home or join a political banner they weren’t quite ready to carry.  According to NTUCB President Ella Waight, the roadblock began Monday afternoon at the Raccoon Street Police Station. When she attempted to formally submit a request for a protest permit, she was informed that approval would not be granted because the UDP had already “claimed” the location.  Waight claims she was even advised by police to simply join forces with the opposition, a suggestion the department claimed had worked during a previous demonstration. Speaking with Love News, however, President Waight flatly rejected that characterization, clarifying that the unions have not, and did not, team up with the UDP. Frustrated by the administrative shutdown, Waight took to social media late yesterday evening to make a direct appeal to the Belizean public.

Ella Waight, President, NTUCB: “So there’s a lot more questions and answers and that is why the NTUCB is asking please stop, don’t rush, hold on, let’s get the information out to the public in terms that we all understand. And finally my request to you is to please, please stop going behind your phones and your tablets and your computers and typing putting in “yes I support” and “solidarity” and “NTUCB should do this and do that.” You are. You once you work, you’re a member NTUCB because we represent workers not just unionized workers but all workers in this country. So you are NTUCB. So when you say what is the NTUCB doing and you’re not doing anything, we don’t do anything. You must get out there even if it’s for 10 minutes, stand with us. Stand with us for 10 minutes so that we can show that we have the support of workers to say “no”, “no to this acquisition at this point.” This has nothing to do with party politics. This has nothing to do with religion. This has to do with you and me, taxpayers of this country and you and me being included in decisions that will impact us later on in life. So with that, I would like to invite you to join us tomorrow in Belize City in front of the Social Security Board Office where we’ll be protesting, encouraging the Social Security Board directors to stay the course and ensure that they protect our money. And if we decide to go out on Friday to demonstrate in front of the National Assembly, join us as well. If we do not take a stand today, if we do not stop this right now, this acquisition, it may be too late weeks from now or months from now when we realize that we have no control, we have no control over our telecom industry.”

Despite the official denial of a permit, the unions’ message could not be entirely silenced. Love News observed several union members out on Princess Margaret Drive this morning, placards in hand, walking the area alongside the larger crowd.  Among them was Nadia Caliz of the BNTU, who made it clear that while they may have been denied a piece of paper by the police, they have not lost their voice. For the teachers and the wider labor movement, the fight for transparency is just beginning