On August 24, 2026, the National Trade Union Congress of Belize (NTUCB) delivered a sweeping package of 11 formal demands to Prime Minister John Briceño, imposing a hard deadline of August 28 for a written response from the administration that is currently headed by Briceño, who is out of the country on an official bilateral visit to Honduras.
At the top of the union’s urgent demands is the immediate removal of Belize Telemedia Limited (BTL) Chairman Markhelm Lizarraga, alongside sitting board members Moises Cal, Arturo Lizarraga, and Eric Eusey. The NTUCB anchors this call in three key controversies: a formal vote of no confidence from the Belize Communications and Workers Union (BCWU); board approval of a $90 million cable acquisition that has direct ties to the BTL chairman and the Prime Minister’s own office; and the union’s push for an $80 million acquisition of Speednet/SMART that was ultimately rejected. Critics note that the acquisition was backed only on a one-year financial review, far shorter than the standard three-to-five-year industry assessment period.
Beyond leadership changes at BTL, the NTUCB has laid out a series of longer-term demands to be fulfilled within a 90-day window. The organization is calling for a restructured tripartite governance framework for BTL that includes reserved seats for both the NTUCB and the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI). It also demands a overhaul of the Public Utilities Commission, expanding its membership to include representatives from the NTUCB, BCCI, Belize National News (BNN), the National Energy Association of Belize (NEAB), and the national government.
Additional immediate and medium-term demands cover a broad swathe of governance and labor issues. The union wants the Prime Minister’s Office to appoint a dedicated full-time liaison to the union movement immediately. It also requires new whistleblower protection legislation and comprehensive campaign finance reform passed within 90 days. Another key policy demand is full enforcement of the 2023 Civil Asset Recovery and Unexplained Wealth Act, a law that grants the Financial Intelligence Unit authority to pursue civil recovery of illegally acquired assets without first obtaining a criminal conviction.
The NTUCB also added calls for the long-vacant national Ombudsman position to be filled within 90 days, and echoed the Public Service Union’s (PSU) demand that the controversial 2026 Revenue Authority Bill be pulled from legislative consideration, sent back to committee for full, inclusive stakeholder consultations.
A block of demands specific to the Belizean education sector lay out clear timelines for changes: the introduction of a standardized vacation schedule of a full July break and a three-week August recess within 90 days; adjustments to the salary scale for vocational technology teachers within 45 days; full repayment of withheld salaries for interdicted teachers within 60 days; and a formal government response within 45 days to demands for repayment of salaries that were forced back by the government from teachers holding expired teaching licenses.
Finally, the union is pushing for increased public funding for the University of Belize, calling for the government to raise institutional subvention to a target of $15 million in the upcoming fiscal budget. It also demands the creation of an independent oversight body for university scholarships, to remove political discretion from the allocation process.
As the deadline approaches, Prime Minister Briceño remains in Honduras for scheduled bilateral diplomatic talks, with no immediate public response from his delegation to the union’s demands.