Today was the last House Meeting for the parliamentary year, and usually it's an easy day, all sweetness and light, as niceties and Christmas wishes are exchanged across the floor, a rare touch of grace in an often venomous setting. But today there was no lightness at the house meeting. The National Trade Union Congress of Belize set the tone early with a planned disruption. It happened half hour into the meeting when a group of about a dozen unionists, stood up in the gallery and started chanting, "Introduce the Occupational Safety and Health bill now!"
They were quickly shut down and shown out, but it was a rare rush of action in the otherwise staid proceedings:...
Michael Peyrefitte, Speaker of the House
"Remove those people."
Unions
Chanting; "Introduce the Occupational Safety and Health Bill."
Jules Vasquez
"Mr. President of the NTUCB, what was that about?"
Dylan Reneau, President, N.T.U.C.B.
"We have had the Occupational Safety and Health Bill in front of Cabinet for some time now. In fact the Prime Minister and the Minister of Labour has promised the NTUCB and we have it on tape; they've promise to introduce that bill and pass the Occupational Safety and Health Bill and we've seen bills come after our bill and get pass through the House and so we had to make a very strong statement. This is just the first step because as we said for our Annual General Meeting the year 2014 will be the year of the workers and the year of action."
Jules Vasquez
"Explain why has it been frustrating in system so long? I remember the very demonstrative statement you all put out which apparently had no effect. Why is it languishing?"
Dylan Reneau, President, N.T.U.C.B.
"We would want the Prime Minister to respond to that because all the work has been done, the social partners agreed to the legislation. Why has it not moved?"
Jules Vasquez
"We know that the NTUCB typically sends out releases, tries to arrange meetings with the government, that sort of thing."
Marvin Mora, Second Vice-President, N.T.U.C.B.
"I think the president was very clear about it. It's a signal that 2014, we mean business; we are not here to play."
Jules Vasquez
"You think you got the Prime Minister's attention, president?"
Dylan Reneau, President, N.T.U.C.B.
"I think we did get his attention and we also wanted to get the nation's attention and I am telling you in 2014 there will be much more activism on the part of NTUCB."
"We've been disrespected time and time again and so enough is enough. You could say that we were the ones that put this government into power because we are the workers that vote and we wanted a change. Basically we were promised that our issues would have been dealt with and nothing had been dealt with substantially and so enough is enough. We have to take a very strong stand."
Jules Vasquez
"You've disrupted the House Meeting, when you say action in 2014; do you all intend to be disruptive in 2014?"
Marvin Mora, Second Vice-President, N.T.U.C.B.
"I think you remember the current Prime Minister stating that there was a time for civil disobedience, we hope that that doesn't reach to that stage. But if it does NTUCB will be ready."
The occupational health and safety bill deals with worker safety and compensation and it seeks to update antiquated laws.
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