In a decision that has sparked growing labor tension across Belize, the national Cabinet has given formal approval to a sweeping institutional overhaul that would convert the existing Belize Tax Service Department into a new Semi-Autonomous Revenue Authority (SARA). The government has framed the transition as a phased reform process that will include ongoing stakeholder consultations, with the restructured body set to operate under the oversight of the Ministry of Finance. Changes are planned for the agency’s governance framework, staffing model, and core operational procedures, but official assurances about inclusive consultation have failed to ease widespread anxiety among affected workers.
The nation’s Public Service Union (PSU) has emerged as the most vocal opponent of the plan, launching forceful pushback against the restructuring. Union leaders warn that the proposed changes threaten to strip public workers of critical earned benefits, and they accuse the Ministry of Finance of intentionally sidelining worker concerns throughout the early planning stages. With public debate over SARA intensifying, PSU President Dean Flowers is demanding full government transparency around the proposal, and the union has refused to withdraw its opposition despite government attempts to move the process forward.
In an interview with local media, Flowers detailed the union’s latest interactions with government officials, noting that the PSU was recently invited to participate in an initial meeting for the project steering committee tasked with overseeing the SARA transition. During the meeting, discussions centered on the committee’s terms of reference – a document the union has not yet approved, a point Flowers emphasizes is critical to the entire process.
The dispute is not a new development: the PSU previously filed a formal trade dispute against the Ministry of Finance over the restructuring plan, presenting its core arguments to the Belize Labor Commissioner and the Ministry of Public Service. Notably, Flowers confirmed that the Ministry of Public Service itself, through its sitting minister, has already acknowledged that the union’s position is justified. The minister also publicly criticized the Ministry of Finance for what he called a “horrible job” of engaging stakeholders, disclosing plans, and maintaining transparency around changes to one of the government’s largest revenue-generating agencies.
Flowers reiterated that the Ministry of Public Service has explicitly stated that full disclosure is required to allow the union to engage meaningfully, comment on the proposal, and shape the final policy outcome if the government insists on moving forward with the transition. A key demand from the Ministry of Public Service has been full public disclosure of the draft legislation that would establish SARA. While Flowers confirmed that the union has received a copy of the draft legislation, his assessment of the document is highly critical.
“Quick reaction is that it is deficient. It is wanting, especially where respect for workers and workers’ rights is concerned. It is holistically and completely deficient in that regards,” Flowers told reporters. Under the current timeline, the union has 30 days to submit formal feedback on the draft legislation, and Flowers confirmed the organization will fulfill that step to formally document its objections and concerns.
Beyond the gaps in the draft legislation, Flowers also highlighted that the government has not shared any independent analysis or impact studies that justify the need for the transition to SARA. The union plans to continue aggressive advocacy for full transparency, and it has pledged to closely scrutinize recommendations from the Caribbean Regional Technical Assistance Centre (CARTAC) that back the SARA proposal, challenging any unsubstantiated claims about the benefits of restructuring.
This report is a transcript of an evening television broadcast from local Belizean media, with all statements reproduced accurately per broadcast content.