The Operations Manager for Belize Maintenance Limited (BML), Mitchell Danderson, confirmed to Amandala tonight that 100 of 150 workers at the troubled sanitation company responsible for the upkeep of the City were sent home this morning, unable to be paid.
The reason, it appears, is once again the Belize City Council. Danderson told us that CitCo, for all intents and purposes, has breached the agreement it signed with BML at the close of the 2-week strike in September and October, at which time the workers of BML protested at City Hall’s doors over their delinquent payments. He was unable to provide an exact figure as to how much CitCo owed.
While the workers, according to Danderson, did not take today’s news well, he said the company had no choice, because they were not being paid by CitCo. He told us that their next move depends on the response from CitCo to today’s surprise firing.
Danderson said that BML, with its reduced staff, would continue to provide sanitation service – at a “minimal standard” – to the residents of Belize City.
At press time we were unable to contact City Councilor with responsibility for sanitation, Phillip Willoughby.