2 weeks ago
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The Public Service Union’s president’s attendance at today’s anti-corruption rally, organized by the United Democratic Party, has drawn attention, given the union’s long-standing position as an independent and non-partisan organization. Addressing those concerns, PSU President Dean Flowers said the focus should not be on who organized the event, but on the issues being raised, arguing that transparency, accountability, and good governance are matters that affect every Belizean.
Dean Flowers, President, PSU: “And we need to stop paying attention to the messenger. We need to start focusing on the message. We need to start focusing on the message. So if you want to speak on today’s rally let’s focus on what’s the purpose behind the rally, not who’s organizing the rally. Because when we focus on the purpose of the rally we will find purpose in ourselves and it will also expose what we stand for and what our values as citizens are. I don’t know that it was a political rally. As far as I am concerned, it’s an anti-corruption rally. And like I said, regardless of whether it was Donald Trump, John Briceño, Julius Espat, Tracy Panton, the NTUCB, why are we concerned about who is organizing the rally ? Do we have a problem with corruption in Belize? Do we have a problem with lack of transparency, lack of enforcement, lack of accountability? That is what the rally is about. That is where our energy and our focus and our discussion should be. Let’s get away from the small talks. We are big people, let’s discuss issues, let’s not be small minded and discuss people. with a big people, let’s discuss issues, let’s not be small minded and discuss people.”
Speaking to Love News later at the rally, Flowers expanded on that message as he encouraged Belizeans not to sit on the sidelines and called on other trade unions and civil society organizations to unite behind the broader call for accountability, maintaining that the issues being highlighted transcend political affiliation.
Dean Flowers, President, PSU: “I don’t know. We would have said to our members, if you can take the deal off to support any rally that has to do with stamping out corruption, addressing corruption, exposing corruption, be part of it. That’s the kind of change that we need. That’s the kind of courage that we need. In terms of the other unions, they enjoy their autonomy. It is for them to determine whether or not they can separate the issues from the personalities and tackle what the root cause of the problem is. What we are seeing here is an initiative to address corruption. What we need to do is to feed off it, build off it, and try to advocate for changes, for legislative changes, for enforcement, for international assistance as to how we could feed off of this to ensure that the abuse that continues, that occurs under successive government ceases.”
The rally formed part of a wider push by organizers to rally public support around calls for greater transparency and accountability in government, with Flowers maintaining that those principles deserve the backing of all Belizeans.
English (US) ·