On the 7 February, 2018 the NTUCB and The Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry, issued a joint statement formally announcing to the nation and the world, but more so to the workers who often suffer injuries and at times die because of the dangers associated with the work they do, that they would be forming an Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) working committee that would be designed to review and arrive at a final position on the OSH Bill that is agreeable to all relevant stakeholders. Below is that joint statement.
“The Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) and the National Trade Union Congress of Belize (NTUCB) announced today that both entities have agreed to form an Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) working committee that is designed to review and arrive at a final position on the OSH Bill that is agreeable to all relevant stakeholders.
Both parties, having met on Thursday, February 1, agreed that the working committee is the best mechanism to ensure that the concerns of both the workers and the employers are adequately addressed.
BCCI President Mr. Nikita Usher, speaking after the meeting, said, “I am encouraged by the level of commitment expressed at today’s meeting. It is clear that both the private sector and the NTUCB desire to collaborate and come to a finalized and workable version of the OSH Bill as soon as possible.” Likewise, NTUCB President Mr. Floyd Neal commended the degree of seriousness that all parties demonstrated towards the process, and expressed confidence in the ability of the committee to achieve significant progress.”
Fast forward to nineteen months later on the heels of last week’s worksite incident where two people lost their lives and four could have also died. Luckily, those four person were only injured. On Monday, the NTUCB went on the offensive and put out a released about the need to pass the OSH Bill into law. They are now trying to deflect blame from themselves because of the quandary they find themselves in, because they are as guilty as the businesspeople for the OSH Bill being stalled. The NTUCB sat and did nothing for nineteen months. One organization is guilty of sins of commission while the other is guilty of sins of omission.
