In June of this year, we told you about the Former General Manager of the Belmopan Branch of the Social Security Board, Anna Gonzalez, who was dismissed reportedly after a dispute with the CEO Richard Flowers. Well, Gonzalez has recently filed a lawsuit for unlawful dismissal.

As we reported, Gonzalez was a staff member with 30 years at the institution, and our sources told us that she basically driven out of the institution's Belmopan Headquarters, where she had been the General Manager before her termination. We were told that she opposed to certain features of the ongoing Stategic Business Transformation Project.

In her statement of claim, Gonzalez explains that on June 2 Flowers held a meeting with her and orally notified that she had been terminated. The reasons given to her in writing is quote, "a lack of leadership skills required for the Transformation Plan". End Quote.

She categorically states that at no time during her service, were there any complaints made against her by any of her other co-workers, or by CEO Flowers that she lacked leadership or performance. But Gonzalez contends that she could only be dismissed by the Board of Directors of the SSB, and because of that CEO Flowers exceeded his powers when he terminated her.

If she wins her case, she is seeking a declaration that the Chief Executive Officer, Richard Flowers, lacked the authority to terminate her, and therefore the action he took in June is unlawful and void. She is also seeking another declaration from the court that she was unlawfully and unfairly dismissed by the CEO in violation of the Labour Act.

Most importantly, she is seeking an award of damages, included aggravated damages for the termination of her post. It is also significant to note that the time of her termination from SSB, Gonzalez was only 8 months away from early retirement, and she would have qualified for her benefits. Instead, she has been informed that she can no longer receive her early retirement pension.