Public Officers Face Tough Choices Amid Tax Department Transition

Minister of Public Service, Henry Usher, says the establishment of the Semi-Autonomous Revenue Authority (SARA), some 226 public officers will have a decision to make, and will have at least two options.  His statement comes in response to the President of the Public Service Union, Dean Flowers, who sounded an alarm yesterday, indicating that the workers attached to the Belize Tax Services Department are facing a possible constructive dismissal or demotion.  The union had a meeting with the BTSD employees yesterday to explain the transition process and the factors that they would have to consider.  The union is concerned that the government would have to force-fit many of the employees who choose to remain under the regulations of the public service.  With this transition to a statutory body, the workers have a choice to either continue working under the public service regulations or to collect for time served and begin anew under the regulations of a statutory body.  In an interview with Minister Usher, he thanked the union for meeting with the workers and assured the media that his ministry would have to look after the best interest of public officers.

Henry Charles Usher, Minister of Public Service and Governance: “We have to be very  cognizant of, we have to work with the employees. As the Minister of Public Service I have to make sure that the public officers are treated fairly, that their options you know everything is explained to them and that’s something that we are doing. I’m glad that Union was able to have that meeting with them yesterday and I think that there are questions that have come up and these questions need to be answered. But in terms of the question as to whether the interview process would be a part of  them staying with the new revenue authority that’s something that the revenue authority would have to determine. They were hired by  the Ministry of Public Service. Their terms and conditions of service are determined by the Public Service Commission currently. If these employees choose to remain in the public service, then of course they would then be, we would need to find a new place for them within the public service. But if they go and start to work with the new revenue authority, they are choosing to work under the terms and conditions of that authority, which may include an interview process.  I haven’t seen that part of it as yet. I haven’t really looked at what the revenue authority is going to do. My main goal right now is to make sure that the public officers are treated fairly, that they have all of the information and that those that remain in the public service we can find somewhere for them to go. I believe there are about 226 employees under the Belize Tax Service so we have to make sure that we can find jobs for them in the event that they want to remain in the public service. I’m hoping and I know that the majority of the persons working at Belize Tax Service they have a passion for what they do and I’m hoping that they can find a resolution with the new revenue authority as it’s coming in, so that they can remain there and continue to do the job that they’re doing, which I believe is an excellent job. We have seen  a lot of progress made by the Belize Tax Service in recent years and we believe that going towards this revenue authority is the next step.  It’s about creating that independence. It’s about creating the ability for the revenue authority to be more efficient and to carry out its mandate to the Belizean people.”

It is to be noted that the BTSD employees in the Toledo District were not represented in yesterday’s meeting.  We understand that the PSU will be meeting with them in the coming days.  The transition of the BTSD into a statutory body is expected to be fully completed in early 2026