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CWU prez says rift is resolved, as the trail to the missing $18,450 gets warm

GeneralCWU prez says rift is resolved, as the trail to the missing $18,450 gets warm
The Christian Workers Union (CWU) held an executive and general council meeting last Thursday at the National Development Foundation of Belize (NDFB) office in Belize City.
 
President Antonio Gonzalez told us today that the union – which had recently been embattled with concerns over the union’s finances and some missing money – has “come out stronger than ever.”
 
Gonzalez chaired the general council meeting, which, he said, was attended by a majority of representatives from 10 of the 12 areas represented by the union.
 
As we had reported on July 26, there had been a string of written communications between Gonzalez and his vice president, Emerson Burke, who had expressed concerns over issues ranging from the missing money, over $18,000, to the fact that the executive has overstayed its term by over a year. Elections are due every three years, and the present CWU executive has been in place for more than four years.
 
The union issued its first public statement on the issues today, saying that as a result of last week’s meetings a new interim treasurer will be appointed, the accounting system will be restructured, and the consultative process between the executive committee and members will be strengthened to improve transparency and accountability.
 
“In relation to the missing funds of $18,450, the general council states categorically that it was not the conclusion that the president Antonio Gonzalez and the general secretary James McFoy had any involvement with, nor benefited from the action of fraud that were perpetrated on the finances of the union,” the release continued.
 
Gonzalez said that the union has received a verbal confession from one of the persons allegedly involved in the scam, but he told us that they could not comment further because the police have yet to get a formal statement.
 
At last report, police were investigating three suspects believed to have been involved in the alleged forgery of 40 cheques against the CWU’s bank account. At the end of June the union was alerted that its funds had been depleted when a cheque written against the account could not be cleared at the bank.
 
The CWU release says that the union is seeking reimbursement from the said bank, which they have not named.
 
In relation to internal matters, Gonzalez said that the union needs new direction, as well as to have more consultation with membership.
 
He said that the CWU’s latest audit was presented to council members before last week’s meeting, but another meeting will be convened to more fully discuss its contents.
 
Burke had expressed concerns that he had not seen a recent CWU audit, and that prior requests for the document had not been met.
 
Burke had declined a prior call to attend a CWU executive meeting on July 27, on the grounds that the documents were to be presented to members beforehand, and that he believed that it was better to convene a meeting of the general council – which is a higher decision-making body of the CWU with broader representation from members.
 
Gonzalez told us that at the meetings, most of Burke’s concerns were addressed.
 
He also said that the CWU would endeavor to hold elections for a new executive in November.

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