Work: A Constitutional Rights

Posted: Wednesday, March 13, 2019. 7:55 pm CST.

The views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not necessarily those of Breaking Belize News.

By: Dr. Gerald Zuniga, Political Science Studies, Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala & Universidad de Mariano Galvez, Guatemala City, Guatemala

Our Constitution, that is the Constitution of the state and country of Belize and the supreme law of the nation, in Art.15, Paragraph (1) states and I quote “No person shall be denied the opportunity to gain his living by work which he freely chooses or accepts, whether by pursing a profession or occupation or by engaging in a trade or business, or otherwise.”  That being said, as long as the fees are paid where necessary and such profession or occupation does not contravene or clashes with the interest of defense, public safety, public order, public morality or public health, there should be no impedance or obstacle .And our Constitution in Art.16, continues by prohibiting discrimination in any of its manifestation. If it is abided by is another story but not abiding by the Constitution is punible. There is still discrimination in our country and it is more practiced by the “educated” individuals than those with lesser education but that is for another article because it is entrenched in our history. Eventhough, our Constitution tackles it and prohibits it.  As a scientist, just observing, which is the basic tool of the scientific method, one sees the crude, vicious, and sad impacts of racial discrimination in Belize but as I said that is for another article.

Our Constitution vehemently prohibits DISCRIMINATION in any of its various expressions. So to deny any Belizean a job is itself unconstitutional  and also violates inherent human rights and to do so because of ones political party inclination or affiliation is illegal, immoral, and unethical. Not creating jobs is a machiavelic plan. A job is not a favour. Noone do you a favour offering and/or granting you a job and your physical, mental, and spiritual integrity should not be violated. Its your constitutional rights and innate human rights. Neither is a police record sine qua non for a job. A police record is or should be a precautory measure to try to safeguard the dynamics of the work environment  but it should not be used to blackmail and impedes one to be employed. Elections are soon coming and it is imperative that all political parties constituted in Belize and participants in the elections, and especially the prime ministership candidate, understand and practice that partisan politics finishes the night or day the winning party is announced. The winning party becomes the Government of Belize which we normally see around as the famous G.O.B. The GOVERNMENT OF BELIZE is precisely that,  the GOVERNMENT OF AND FOR ALL BELIZEANS.  PARTY POLITICS ENDS  AFTER THE WINNING PARTY IS OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCED.  For decades in practice it has been the government for and by the UDPs or the government for and by the PUPs. This practice has to stop. As a matter of fact, as long as you exercise your power right as the one executive  and rightfully, creating jobs, and satisfy needs like healthcare, infrastructure, education, and security, you secure votes for your party even without campaigning. What is so hard for the political class  to understand that. That is based on human psychology and social dynamics. We as a nation will never grow with these  practices of the last many decades. Do you want to insert Belize into the consortium of developing nations or continue dragging us far behind? We as citizens of this nation also have the rights of living in a better Belize. Not that we don’t have the natural and human resources, seemingly there is a deliberate and malicious intention of refusing and ignoring the development because of the fear of losing dominion on the electorates. Guatemala’s claim has nothing to do with it, rather the lack of will from our political and business class. As a little boy, I used to hear that the Toledo District has been and is still abandoned because  of the Guatemalan claim and you hear it now again in some ICJ campaign. That is a perfect balony, perfect crop. The Toledo District is not developed because there is no political will  and interest to do so. Thatt is, it is not of their interest and by far the potentially richest district in Belize. Fortunaltely, the people in the Toledo District didn’t created ian independentist movement like the people in Peten once created. I am not certain if that was in the Toledo Progressive Party (TPP) agenda. I may have to ask Mr. Alejandro Vernon. The people of Peten fellt abandoned from the rest of Guatemala. It was not until during the government of late Expresident Alvaro Arzu in the late 90’s that Santa Elena, Peten got connected to La Ruidosa, Izabal by a paved road. That brought more development into the department. The road from Santa Elena to Melchor de Mencos is still largely unpaved even though the exwife of Alvaro Colom expresident, Sandra Torres who is actual actual presidential candidate is native of Melchor de Mencos. That road has important tourist site like Tikal. It seems like political will is so complex. More caprichousness than anything else. So this practice has been so for decades now. You leave Belize for decades and you come back and you find the same deep scenario. It is true that a government doesn’t create jobs. There are limited jobs that the public sector creates and can offer. However, the  government can and  should create and implements strategies that foster job creation by the private sector by motivating and enhancing micro businesses and also small and medium business.  One wsy is by reducing taxes and the cost of utilities to make the private sector more competitive nationally and regionally. Also competition foster innovations. We as human beings are innovative by nature. Watch the strategies of President Donald Trump. He is doing a job revolution. Unlike, what is happening in Venezuela. Venezuela is submerged in a perfect chaos and the sun cannot be covered with one hand. Maduro’s luck had beome the Venezuelan nightmare. Hugo Chavez left this man to carry on his ideology and the first thing he did was to traitor his ideologue. He wasn’t satisfied with Chavez’ Constitution so he facilitated a Constituent to tailor a Constitution to his liking where he can perpetuate in power and not having the knowledge nor the team to run such a rich country.. And as usual, when “leaders” fail,  they look for scapegoats like imperialist Gringo or Yankees, embargoes, climate change, etc to justidy his or her incompetence.  He doesn’t know and  he doesn’t that he doesn’t know.  That is what happens when you elect a truck driver into an important executive office. Belize’s foreign policies and international relations should be in line with  our Constitution. That is for another article. So jobs are vital for a nation and more  so when they are stable. So curious, that we in Belize have an early retirement age yet a very high unemployment rate with a small population. Our country properly administered, we have all the elements to achieve HAPPINESS  ndeed as stated in our Constitution. We have the resources and a small population. We are twice the size of El Salvador but El Salvador’s GDP is higher than ours by far about 12 times according to 2017 statistics but they also have their challenges.  It is also true that they have about 6 million people more than us according to 2017 statistics.. However, all we need is a prepared political class both with the knowledge and the will.

The only tool to and for development and the irradication of poverty is work. It put your driving force up high. It impedes depression and uncertainty. It impedes or murmur violence and whichver of its expression. We talk about domestic violence but unemployment is a contributing factor to domestic violence and the phenomenon of psychological displacement which is seldom addressed. Who are normally the victims of this displacement? Spouses and children. It is also an important contributing factor to child abuse: physically and mentally. This is because of frustration and that frustration grows and later expressed in deviant conducts like criminalities and psychological malices like envy, grudgefullness, hate, etc which all grows to cause hypertension, diabetes and in certain individuals even certain cancers. What a vicious cycle! The system pounds and pounds on the society to consume but one cannot consume without a job or source of income. Jobs create consumption and consumption creates growth and development. This has nothing to do with capitalism nor socialism. It is economics common sense. So job creation is imperative. One might say “dignified jobs”. All jobs dignify. One might just pay better than the other but you realize about its dignification when you have none. Then you realize that the first to undignify you is your own family, relatives, and friends. You even lose your friends and relatives keep far because you can be a or possible burden. So when jobs are politicized or not created, it is worse than punishment itself and should be VEHEMENTLY CONDEMNED and the practicant should be punished on election day. Pantries can never substitute a job. Having a job you eat what your body needs or what your palate wants. You are free to determine what to eat, what to wear, in which house to live in, which car to drive if that is your go, etc., etc. Don’t you then think that joblessness is for a purpose? Pantries don’t and won’t dignify and I am 100% sure that it doesn’t even satisfy your nutritional needs. It might maintain you alive, however. Nevertheless, it has you captured and you should always set free and be free. Pantry is an emergency measure meanwhile one finds a job and which should be based on merit or interest. Where is the government gazzette where government jobs used to appear? What is the Public Service Union doing about it? When you study sociology you will learn that a healthy competition create a healthy nation. Only competition makes a nation grow. Even in socialist countries you have competition eventhough they preach their false notion of equality.  Healthy competition is fruitful. When unhealthy competitions are practiced, you destroy the cohesive forces of a nation and you cement the atmosphere for ungovernance and repression, and the easiest response to ungovernance created by the system is to use the forces of the same system to coerce those displeased with that same system which itself has created by the same system. Ironically, that same system throws at you that force that you with your money, thru your payment of taxes, pay their salaries and help them achieve their happiness. So ironical, but it is the reality. You go manifest against the system and you will see what I mean.

Our forefathers organized themselves to give us and leave us a Constitution which in itself is not perfect and needs improvements and consolidation but it stated that the utmost finale is for us to achieve HAPPINESS. It is written in the Constitution. HAPPINESS is linked with work because it allows the sustainance of a healthy individual and a healthy family. A healthy family is the cornerstone for a healthy and happy nation. Less pressure on public funds and with more work available there are more taxes which converts to revenues to pay debts, invest in the nation and to pay public servants. Less reliance on loans and eternal debts.

As a nation we deserve better and the actors can do better to change this scenario.

Advertise with the mоѕt vіѕіtеd nеwѕ ѕіtе іn Belize ~ We offer fully customizable and flexible digital marketing packages. Your content is delivered instantly to thousands of users in Belize and abroad! Contact us at mаrkеtіng@brеаkіngbеlіzеnеwѕ.соm or call us at 501-601-0315.

© 2019, BreakingBelizeNews.com. Content is copyrighted and requires written permission for reprinting in online or print media. Theft of content without permission/payment is punishable by law.