For the third day this week – today Belize Maintenance Limited
workers protested in front of City Hall. The BML workers have been picketing
City Hall since Monday because BML hasn’t been paid and so neither have
they. It is reaching a critical juncture because garbage is piling up on streets,
workers are frustrated, and the cash strapped City Council appears helpless
and inert. BML wants $320,000 but the City Council can only pay $70,000. The
City Councillor in charge of Sanitation Phillip Willoughby says his patience
is growing thin. He today lashed out at BML’s bosses and had another one
of those wild and crazy fix-all proposals: this time he doesn’t want to
sell City Hall...he wants to nationalise BML!
Phillip Willoughby, City Councillor
“We are at the table negotiating and talking right now. I would say
in conventional wisdom that the demonstration should have ceased at least until
a final position or a conclusion to the matter has been made. That continues
to be and it is an embarrassment.
It is unfortunate and sad. I feel for those employees down there. In the
media we are hearing about bills, bills, bills – expenses that those single
mothers have to meet. It is unfortunate and sad the predicament the council
is in but that is the reality and I can’t shy away from saying that we
don’t have the finances.
Granted all of this, we will end in court to settle whatever intended arbitration
may come about and then we nationalize this thing and take the people under
the council’s wings and we work and then that would complement some of
the work from Ministry of Works and CYDP and maybe at a far less cost.”
We were unable to reach BML’s owner Lawrence Ellis for a response.
The City Council will meet tomorrow to discuss the issue.
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