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As we've been reporting, Social Security's Board of Directors can't meet: that's because the National Trade Union Congress of Belize is boycotting the meetings. They do so in protest of Government's rejection of their nominees to the Board. He is Floyd Neal, the General Secretary of the Christian Workers Union – which also happens to be the union which represents social security's workers. The Prime Minister says it's a conflict of interest:…

Hon. Dean Barrow - Prime Minister

"I've had legal advise on the matter and that advice is, the appointment of Mr. Neal would constitute a conflict of interest. I have looked at the advice, I have looked at the circumstances, I've made up my own mind and I too am convinced that it would represent a conflict of interest. They NTUCB is clearly not so persuaded. I've suggested that they might want to take their own legal advice and once they do that, I would certainly be prepared to look at the opinion they procure - assuming that the opinion will take a position different from the one I have taken; And I will try to be open minded and if there is anything in that opinion that can persuade me to change my own mind, I would be happy to do so."

Jules Vasquez

"Now, in the interim, what will happen to the Social Security board. Are you minded to amend the legislation so that a meeting can go ahead without their presence?"

Hon. Dean Barrow

"No, I don't think that the time for that is now. I don't think it's anywhere in the immediate future. I want to hope that ultimately, some kind of agreement can be reached. I did say to the NTUCB that it is my understanding that the other social partners in the board have the same view that I hold, that the appointment of Mr. Neal would be a conflict of interest. I asked whether they had sought to reach out to those other social partners. Whether they sough to consult and they said no. If my understanding is correct, I don't expect that will necessarily change the NTUCB's position - but I hope that is would at least convince them that they view that the government is taking. The view that I am taking is not a provers one, it's not an unreasonable one. If in fact it is shared by objective persons and objective persons that ultimately are colleagues of theirs. So if I am not persuaded at the end of the day by any opinion that they might produce, I would hope that they would see that there is critical mass in favour of the position contrary to theirs and ultimately; I would wish to think that they might be persuaded. It's not a problem as I explained to them. They can so very easily, simply appoint somebody else who is not a member of the Christian Worker's Union. I can't understand why there's such a big deal over this particular individual and it has nothing to do with the person, it has to do with the position he holds."

The Prime Minister says he would wish that the NTUCB would consider recommending another nominee to the board.