Deputy Prime Minister says “cannot be what is good for unions is bad for government”

Published by BBNTEAM at May 15, 2025

Posted: Thursday, May 15, 2025. 2:44 pm CST.

By Zoila Palma: On May 13, 2025, senior Government ministers met with leaders of the Joint Unions at the Government House in Belmopan.

Following the meeting, Minister of Education Oscar Requena said that the meeting was cordial and the proposal was well received.

“I do not want to speak to the specifics because we do have a proposal, we need to go back to cabinet and thereafter we’ll be able to speak to you on the specifics,” Requena said.

Minister Requena added that the Government understands the concerns that teachers and public servants have.

“We all recognize that there is inflation, the cost of living has gone up and at the end of the day it’s a matter of sitting at the table and working it all together,” Requena said.

Deputy Prime Minister Cordel Hyde also said that the meeting was constructive.

“Well, I think we had a very constructive meeting. We discussed the issues at length and I think we reached some level of over-standing but of course these things are subject to agreement of cabinet 1, and agreement of the membership of the unions but I thought we had a good meeting as we usually do, very constructive, very serious, very frank but very respectful,” Hyde said.

Minister Hyde says that the union leaders are taking the proposal back to membership.

“We’ve had a real partnership with the unions over a period of time because, as I always say, this is a partnership, this is a team effort, all the success of this country is based on this partnership, is based on this team effort. When they win, we win. And when we win, they win. It should never be a situation where what is good for the unions is bad for the government or what is good for the government is bad for the unions. That should never be,” Hyde stated.

Minister Hyde reiterated that the proposal is being taken to the membership and also to cabinet.

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