UDP speaks out against ‘Briceño Administration’s attack on Public Officers’; supports PSU, NTUCB in demand for respect for the rule of law, public service regulations

Published by BBNTEAM at April 28, 2022

Tags

Posted: Thursday, April 28, 2022. 1:43 pm CST.

By Rubén Morales Iglesias: The United Democratic Party (UDP), in a statement, said it condemns the ‘Briceño Administration’s attack on Public Officers’ and said it supports the Public Service Union (PSU) and the National Trade Union Congress of Belize (NTUCB) in their demand for the respect for the rule of law and the public service regulations.

“The United Democratic Party once again vehemently condemns Prime Minister Briceno’s abuse of the public officers of Belize. His latest attack on a forestry officer is not only a case of prime ministerial abuse but one of possibly criminal dictation,” said the UDP in a press release issued by the Shadow Minister of Public Service OJ Elrington and posted on social media on Thursday.

“In exercising their duty, forestry officers refused to allow the importation of invasive and endangered plant species into the country of Belize by a politically connected investor. The plants in question are also protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) agreement to which Belize is a signatory. Acting in contravention of this agreement puts Belize at risk of losing CITES clearance for exportation of key products such as hardwood and fishery,” said the UDP statement.

The opposition party said that forestry officers are not only protecting the natural flora and fauna of Belize but are also safeguarding the exportation permits of key economic sectors.

“By strong-arming forestry, officers to allow products to enter Belize in contravention of CITES regulation, Prime Minister Johnny Briceno and Agriculture Minister Jose Mai are risking export clearance of key national products for the benefit of a single crony who chose to ignore the laws of this country.”

The UDP said the Prime Minister’s response on the issue when the media asked him about the matter was “even more alarming”.

“The disdain he expressed towards the public officer who stood behind the governing regulations and dared to point out the chain of command was a message to all public officers that they are servants who are there to act on his command. His unprompted insinuation that public officers intentionally drag their feet to solicit bribes when responding to this specific incident can be considered defamatory towards the public officer who exercised her duty under the law,” said the UDP release.

The United Democratic Party said it is in support of the PSU and NTUCB demand for respect for the rule of law and the public service regulations “which protect public officers from carrying out illegal instructions which do not comport with the law”.

The UDP said it was also joining a call to end the abuse of public officers by political operatives.

The UDP press release cited several instances in which they claim the present administration has gone above or circumvented the Laws of Belize, including the case when Minister Michel Chebat’s driver berated police officers in Cayo and the removal of Director of Health Services Dr. Marvin Manzanero, who the UDP said has “still has not been returned to as consequential a role as he previously held”.

“Public officers across this country walk on eggshells around the political operatives brought into the workplace by this new administration. Many are intimidated, psychologically and verbally abused at work,” said the UDP press release.

The UDP statement closed by cautioning the Prime Minister and other members of his administration that “This continuous and sustained abuse of public officers will inevitably have dire consequences for all Belizeans. We therefore once again demand that they cease and desist from these sustained and unwarranted attacks against our public officers”.

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 501-612-0315.