Labour Day Message

By: Hon. John Briceño

Leader, People’s United Party

Greetings to all Belizeans on this Labour Day 2010!

In the midst of the most challenging economic times in our recent history, we must find cause to celebrate the good work of the men and women who toil to help build Belize.

We have come a long way as a nation, thanks in large part to the efforts of the People’s United Party which grew out of the labour movement and has kept Belizean workers always at heart.  Long gone are the days when Belizeans work longer and harder for less.  Today our minimum wage is at $2.25 per hour and while this is higher than many of our neighbours, we must do more to increase the minimum wage, for we all know that in these tough economic times, Belizeans can barely survive on $12 per day.

The backbone of our society is the Belizean working family; they build the nation by growing the food we eat and providing the services that keep our country working.  They are the cornerstone upon which our development is built.  It is the obligation of Government therefore to protect the interests of our working families and always to show a commitment to working families by protecting their rights to jobs that provide fair compensation. For this reason we call on Government to honour their manifesto promise to increase the minimum wage.

Of course Labour Day also provides the opportunity for us to give thanks to those who came before us and who strived to improve working conditions and create fair labour laws in Belize. People like the Father of the Nation, the Rt. Hon. George Price and all those former ministers of labour who worked to empower the union movement in Belize, or who showed the vision to create a labour policy in that resulted in the development of institutions such as the Belize Social Security and the Cooperative movements.  This kind of vision has spurred movements such as the Credit Union Movement, which today continues to be an institution that helps workers and finds ways to support working families.

As a result of these efforts we ensure that children are today protected from hard labour and are allowed to go to school; that labourers can work without risking injury; and that Belizeans who must work six days a week must now be given decent wages and time to raise their families. As a result of such reformers we have been able to bring dignity to the workplace and integrity to our society.

In the People’s United Party we believe and affirm that workers and their families are the heart and soul of our nation. Yet, we know that for our nation to grow and for our workers to continue their good work, Government must continue to create the enabling environment that will result in development, which in turn will result in the number of jobs steadily increasing.  But our workers have a role to play as well; they must put greater emphasis on education and training. Likewise our workers must build stronger partnerships between their unions and management.

As a nation we must all be committed to creating first class products and providing quality services which proudly carry the logo “Made in Belize.

In the midst of one of the greatest economic challenges of our time, it is our responsibility as workers and as Belizeans to face the challenges of the day with an eye to the future.

As we pause today to celebrate the many contributions of the Belizean worker, let us celebrate what we have accomplished for Belize while at the same time rededicating ourselves to the important effort of the building of our Belizean nation.

A happy and memorable Labour Day to all Belizeans.

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