Tax Department Employees Walk Off Job Over Revenue Authority Plan

Employees of the Belize Tax Service Department walked off the job for a few minutes at ten o’clock this morning as a form of protest.  The Public Service Union (PSU) stepped up its opposition to the Government’s planned transition to a Semi-Autonomous Revenue Authority (SARA). The coordinated action unfolded at Tax Service offices across the country, with workers demanding stronger guarantees over their employment, pensions and other benefits. The Government says the new authority will modernize revenue collection and improve efficiency, but the PSU argues that the legislation does not provide sufficient protection for employees. Zayna Augustine reports.