BELIZE CITY – February 18, 2026 – Tensions between Belize’s Public Service Union (PSU) and government authorities escalated today when a crucial negotiation meeting regarding the proposed semi-autonomous revenue authority was unexpectedly canceled. Union representatives left the Eleanor Hall visibly disappointed after arriving for what they believed would be a mediated follow-up session to address ongoing concerns about the departmental transition.
PSU President Dean Flowers expressed profound frustration regarding the breakdown in communications. “We had a scheduled meeting with the Ministry of Finance that should have been chaired by the labor department,” Flowers stated. “This was intended as a continuation of the December 3rd mediation session that brought together multiple government entities to address our trade dispute.”
The contentious transformation of the Belize Tax Service into a semi-autonomous body has been a point of significant conflict since November, when the union formally declared a trade dispute. The proposed restructuring has raised concerns among public service employees about job security, working conditions, and administrative changes.
Flowers highlighted the particular disappointment of finding only minimal representation from the Project Execution Unit upon arrival, rather than the expected mediation team from the Ministry of Labor. “The absence of proper mediation representatives raises serious red flags about the government’s commitment to resolving this impasse,” Flowers noted. “Our members deserve transparent negotiations regarding this significant structural change.”
The union leader called upon media outlets to investigate the Labor Commissioner’s and Labor Minister’s absence from the scheduled dialogue. The PSU, supported by the National Trade Union Congress of Belize, continues to seek meaningful engagement to protect the interests of tax service employees and the broader public service workforce affected by the proposed governmental restructuring.