BELIZE CITY, Belize, Sun. May 30, 2021– On Friday, the day on which a sitting of the House of Representatives was held at which the 10% salary cuts were finalized, members of the PSU held their annual general meeting (AGM), at which they elected new leaders of the PSU. The AGM was held under the theme, “Only the people can save the people”.
After two consecutive days of meeting, the PSU released a statement in which they informed the public of the outcome of their AGM. The statement mentioned that the first day of the AGM commenced with a message from guest speaker and Christian Workers Union president, Evan “Mose” Hyde. On the second day, resolutions were submitted, and nominees were introduced for the posts of president, 1st vice president, 2nd vice president, secretary general, councilors (two) and a trustee.
The elections resulted in former 1st vice president of the PSU, Dean Flowers, assuming a new position as president, while the position of 1st vice president will now be filled by Annisa Gonzalez. Phillip Tate has been selected to fill the role of 2nd vice president, while Trisha Perez is now the PSU’s secretary general. Agnes Novelo and Amanda Carrillo will both serve as councilors, while Pablo Gonzalez has been elected to be the PSU trustee. All positions will be held for a term of two years (2021-2023), with the exception of 1st vice President and trustee, for which there will be elections at the PSU’s 2022 AGM.
The PSU press release went on to announce that the union remains determined to continue its industrial action until the impasse between the Joint Unions and GOB is resolved. The PSU also expressed its view that, with the passing of the Belize Constitution Tenth Amendment Bill, the GOB would be politicizing the Belize Advisory Council, the Elections and Boundaries Commission, the Public Services Commission, and the Security Services Commission. The PSU feels that this will result in “the disappearance of apolitical and competent civil service, Police Department, Coast Guard service, and military; the disenfranchisement of voters, the erosion of competitive elections, and ultimately the weakening of our democracy.”
It is worth noting that the former PSU president, Gerald Henry, Jr., did not submit his name for consideration as a candidate in the recent PSU elections. Prior to the tallying of the results on Saturday, there had already been a discussion that Henry was considering relinquishing his seat. When interviewed last week, Henry had stated, “I’ve not made up my mind. There are a lot of things that are actually conflicting in my mind right now. I am still not there in terms of making up my mind as yet.” While Henry remained unsure, however, Dean Flowers had made public his desire to fill the role and stated on record that it was the will of both the union chairs and the general union members that he serve as the union’s new president. We tried to reach newly elected Dean Flowers for comment, but were unable to get a statement.