Photo: ABRPO president, Hubert Enriquez
by Kristen Ku
BELIZE CITY, Tues. July 30, 2024
It has been four months since the Association of Beneficiary and Retired Public Officers (ABRPO) had gathered outside of the National Assembly building in Belmopan during a government budget debate to protest the continued failure of the government to ensure they receive monies owed to them.
It was the second time in two years that they carried out a public demonstration to call for the dissolution of the nine-million-dollar Public Service Workers Trust (PSWT) Fund so that beneficiaries can receive monies owed to them since 1997.
The Prime Minister, Hon. John Briceño had agreed to meet with the retired officers, and committed to meeting once a month in working to dissolve the fund. Well, today, executive members of the association were once again out in protest, this time in front of the Prime Minister’s office in Belmopan.
The demonstration took place on the heels of a period of two months during which the PM had failed to meet with them and even ignored their reminders of the meeting. “Time really is not on our side. People are dying, you know. And so, we feel that it’s necessary for us to remind the Prime Minister that, in fact, this matter is urgent,” explained the ABRPO president, Hubert Enriquez.
The government had agreed to work on dissolving the trust fund, with the Attorney General already writing recommendations. However, delays in the process, which has seemingly at times come to a complete standstill, has caused confusion and concern, especially given how quickly and suddenly the health of its members can deteriorate given their ages.
“We just want to ask those in authority also, to assist us in dissolving these funds. We have our beneficiaries who are dying regularly. We have a member who is out here right now; she has cancer. The Prime Minister has promised us, and we know that he will carry through with his words,” remarked a member of the association.
The government has yet to respond to the association.