Today, Castellanos was making the media rounds and 7News caught up with him to have him respond to the PM's version of events:

Reporter
"When you had your press conference along with the other unions, you presented you own figures and you guys were confident that you could have gotten a salary adjustment based on projections for next year. Now it seems the government is saying this is not possible unless we have a surplus in revenues. Where is the disparity there?"

Jose Castellanos, APSSM President
"What we were saying at that time was the numbers that we had on hand. Sometime I and the financial secretary will have to meet and reconcile those figures. I would assume that on the meeting on Friday the government made a convincing argument that they didn't have the funds."

Reporter
"But if you were there you would have....?"

Jose Castellanos, APSSM President
"I would have questioned them and ask for their assumptions, I would have change the variable from growth in the current revenue to actual recurrent revenue and there is a big difference between both of them. I just explain on the radio and TV what it means."

Reporter
"You said that in hind sight now that you would have stayed but you also said that you left at the 11th hour for health reasons."

Jose Castellanos, APSSM President
"Health and personal reasons which I don't want to go into. I want to focus on the issues and the future."

Daniel Ortiz
"Sir, if your presence was there - there could have been a major difference - you would not entertain those reasons to the public because different quarters are questioning your motives."

Jose Castellanos, APSSM President
"I have worked in the public service for 19 years. I have worked in the private sector for 3 years - people know me, I have done a lot of work not only in this administration but previous administration in terms of policy differences, case in point; the soy bean project, 30 million dollars invested - I spoke and wrote against it opposing that project. First I wasn't successful; we lost 60 million dollars which is not part of the super bond. I have made my contributions, people know me and I will not be engage in terms of he say/she say. I have great respect for the Prime Minister of this country and I will leave it there."

Reporter
"In terms of your status now with the APSSM. You said that these are the last of your dealings with them but your terms ends next year?"

Jose Castellanos, APSSM President
"No, i will still continue with the APSSM. I will discuss the future on Friday when I meet with them."

Reporter
"You won't have any more input as far as the negotiations go?"

Jose Castellanos, APSSM President
"Remember the executive council represents us in the negotiating team. Whatever I have is given to them. I won't be in the frontline but will still be providing technical support for them."

Reporter
"What's you status in as far as yourself and the government goes because rumor had it that you had resigned because you felt as if though you were being victimized or were going to be victimized?"

Jose Castellanos, APSSM President
"I don't want to focus on that particular question. As I said I want to move on with my life. I am highly qualified, highly trained and highly respected not only in Belize but the region."

Reporter
"Sir, you are the president of the APSSM. People have a lot of regard for you, the people who elected you and put you there. Do you feel even if it's just an apology for them that you walked out on them at the 11th hour?"

Jose Castellanos, APSSM President
"To my association I have explained to them things that I haven't explained publicly, so that I have done."

Castellanos maintains that he will continue to serve as president on the APSSM.