Can Belizeans confidently say that the leadership of the National Trade Union Congress of Belize (NTUCB) and the Association of Concerned Belizeans (ACB) are genuine, transparent in their activities and evenhanded in their dealings in the affairs of the state? The answer is definitely No. The action of the NTUCB and ACB cabal of late has betrayed that trust.

A closer look at the activities of the leadership of the NTUCB and the ACB, especially of late, have clearly demonstrated their undisguised bias against the Musa administration and indicate that they are in bed with the Opposition.

They have chosen to toss aside any opportunity at social partnership that the government has afforded them to collectively confront the challenges that Belize, like so many other nations, is facing and will continue to face. To spurn a good faith offer does not speak favourably of NGOs that claim to be defending the rights of workers and the public. Just listen to Rene Gomez during a Senate meeting or FirstCaribbean Bank Manager Steven Duncan and Legal Counsel Lois Young-Barrow ranting on the morning talk shows and you will get the sense. If you look around in the region NGOs are yearning for such opportunity to be engaged as non-state actors in the affairs of State.

The head honchos of NTUCB and ACB have intentionally ignored the plight of the poor manual workers who were mercilessly deprived of a dignified life by the UDP controlled municipalities. They are mum when it comes to the blatant disregard of the rights of workers trampled upon by their colleagues in town and city halls. Their feeble and vacuous response to this most embarrassing and despicable silence has been that the victims of Zenaida Moya and her fellow mayors are not members to their unions or they simply are just turning a blind eye to the UDP councils’ inept governing methods. What a shameful and disgraceful response to the plight of poor people. If the unions are suffering from Korsakoff’s Syndrome and as a result have forgotten one of the sacred roles of trade unions-to defend the rights of workers then we ask them to resign. Same goes for ACB. For argument sake, can a ruling party in government justify defending the rights of only its supporters Mr. Senator et al?

Imagine an umbrella union organization refusing to acknowledge publicly the positive achievements of the government of the day in areas that directly impact positively on the working population. The clique has intentionally refused to issue statements on the passing of the minimum wage bill; they have not said anything about the government’s policy of no political victimization; they have not breathed a word of support for government’s intention to raise the minimum pension for retired workers; they have not issued a salutory statement about government’s insistence that due process must be adhered to in the quest for any settlement of any dispute; and worse of all not a word on the free textbook program for primary schools. The children of indigent workers benefited.  Come on.

They talk about transparency and accountability. Did the union leaders consult their membership and gained their support to issue such openly political and foolish statements on their behalf? No. Yet they self-righteously continue to call on government to conduct broad-based consultation before it enacts any policy decision. When has the NTUCB published its financial affairs for the public to see even though the Trade Unions and Employers’ Organization Act does not explicitly provide for that? ACB’s workings are shrouded in mystery. Since those two entities have professed to be the paragons of virtue let them voluntarily bare their financial dealings for public scrutiny.

So a final word to the leadership of NTUCB and ACB- you have no credibility, you have compromised yourself and Belize for what appears to be short-term personal and political expediency. As Goethe would metaphorically say- you have sold your soul to the devil like Faust, for something you can never behold.

Note: "Faustian" means "deal with the devil".