The government of Belize has given an assurance letter to the principals of Belize Maintenance Limited that commits it will pay 35 thousand dollars weekly for the company to keep on 170 workers on its payroll. Among those on the pay sheet is Lawrence Ellis, the owner of the company.
Prime Minister, Dean Barrow, made the commitment at a press conference held on Wednesday, August 6. The conference was called shortly after he along with Minister of Human Development, Hon. Anthony ‘Boots’ Martinez met with BML executives in the very room where the press conference was held.
“The government cannot stand by to see workers laid off or about to be laid off,” stated the Prime Minister. He added that “this is not a political issue it is based on a deeply held philosophy,” of looking out for the poor. As part of the government’s taking up the wages, the Prime Minister sought to get a commitment from the Belize City Council to take on the employees after the termination of the BML contract in January of next year. That too was committed to by Mayor Darrell Bradley who explained that it will be a “challenging road ahead”.
He went on to explain that as it is the council owes the company 18 weeks at 78 thousand dollars per week but he added that the payments will be made in installments of 2,3 and even 4 weeks at a time. The current debt is not the only concern of the council; however, there is a judgment of over 2 million dollars on the same contract which also looms over the council. Again the mayor reiterated that the contract was too onerous. He said that with all that is transpiring it is the citizens of the city that are the greatest losers since it is tax payers dollars that have to be used to service a contract that is basically sucking the council dry.
