Belize’s Labor Minister Kareem Musa has issued a definitive statement supporting telecommunications workers in their protracted severance dispute with Belize Telemedia Limited (BTL). The conflict reached its legal conclusion through the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), which delivered a binding ruling requiring the company to fulfill its severance obligations.
Minister Musa addressed journalists on Wednesday, emphasizing the finality of the regional court’s decision. “This matter has been ventilated all the way to the CCJ,” stated Musa. “There is no other alternative, no other appeal process. In my respectful opinion, if these employees are qualified for severance based on the CCJ ruling, then by all means you have to pay these people.”
The minister’s comments follow concerted actions by the Belize Communications Workers for Justice (BCWJ), who held a press conference on Monday and participated in organized protests on Tuesday. Musa questioned BTL’s corporate stance, noting the apparent contradiction between refusing worker payments while pursuing other business acquisitions. “How do you think you are in a position today to be buying out other companies if it is not on the backs of these hard working people from the company?”
The Labor Minister’s intervention signals government support for the workers’ position and reinforces the authority of the CCJ’s ruling. The decision represents a significant development in Belize’s labor relations landscape, establishing precedent for regional judicial authority in employment disputes.