By: Omar Silva I Editor/Publisher

National Perspective BZ – Digital 2025

www.nationalperspectivebz.com

Belmopan City | Thursday May 8th, 2025

Once hailed as a government of the people, the People’s United Party (PUP) is now facing its fiercest confrontation yet—not from political rivals, but from the very unions that stood beside it during its opposition years. As the Belize National Teachers’ Union (BNTU), the Public Service Union (PSU), and the Association of Public Service Senior Managers (APSSM) unite for a major demonstration this Friday, a growing national sentiment suggests that Belize’s working class has had enough.

At the heart of the uproar is an 8.5% salary increase demand—long overdue, according to union leaders—amid skyrocketing costs of living and the disappearance of the country’s once-existent middle class. But more than figures and contracts, this protest is about betrayal. The same government that promised in its 2020 manifesto a 20% raise for public officers and teachers has instead prioritized pay increases for its own Cabinet Secretaries and CEOs, without any consultation or delay.

Meanwhile, teachers and public officers—those who kept the country functioning through pandemic hardship, remote schooling, and salary cuts—are being told to “negotiate.”

“There was no negotiation when they raised their own salaries,” snapped PSU President Dean Flowers, “but for the workers, they send out a team just days before our protest. This is a tactic. We’re not buying it.”

That team, hastily announced by Prime Minister John Briceño, is chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Cordel Hyde and includes former Education Minister Francis Fonseca, current Minister Oscar Requena, Minister of Public Service Henry Charles Usher, and Minister of State Chris Coye. But the unions are clear: this is too little, too late.

Schools Ordered to Stay Open, Protestors Undeterred

In a parallel effort to weaken Friday’s turnout, the Ministry of Education has circulated a stern memorandum ordering all schools to remain open and warning principals that they lack authority to cancel classes. Additionally, Catholic management has threatened to dock a day’s pay from teachers who choose to protest.

But BNTU President Nadia Caliz is not backing down. In her video response, she clarified that teachers are constitutionally within their rights to protest, and encouraged members to inform parents—not close schools—that they won’t be present.

“Every single time we decide to demonstrate, this memo comes out. It’s meant to intimidate, but our members understand their rights,” said Caliz. “We’re not asking for favors—we’re demanding what was promised.”

A Historic Show of Solidarity

This Friday’s protest isn’t just about teachers. It’s about the entire public sector—those who are overworked, underpaid, and overlooked. Union leaders have issued an open call for parents, citizens, and even students to join them in the capital. For the first time in recent memory, the protest coincides with the inaugural Sitting of the House of Representatives, symbolizing a direct challenge to those who govern.

“There is no better time to remind the elected officials who put them there,” said APSSM President Sharon Frazer. “We are partners in governance, not servants of Cabinet.”

With inflation rising, pensions frozen, and the cost of living squeezing every corner of the country, public officers are no longer staying silent. Their frustration is compounded by the government’s close ties to the private sector, which continues to enjoy tax breaks and wage protections while ordinary workers are told to wait, to “negotiate,” and to accept stagnation.

Systemic Inequality on Full Display

Belizeans now face a stark reality: the middle class has been eroded. What remains is a widening divide between an extractive political elite, enriched by public funds, and the poorer class, which includes the teachers, nurses, civil servants, and frontline workers who keep the country alive.

The unions argue this isn’t merely a labor issue—it’s a national emergency of conscience.

“You asked for the job, now do it,” said Flowers. “If you can’t govern with fairness, then step aside for those who will.”

As Friday approaches, the message is clear: this is no longer just a protest—it’s a referendum on political integrity.