A nationwide strike by Belize Tax Services Department employees, which disrupted government operations across the country last week, has pushed the Briceño administration into urgent negotiations to address worker anxieties over a sweeping institutional restructuring plan. At the heart of the industrial action is the controversial Revenue Authority Bill, legislation that would convert the existing tax department into a new semi-autonomous public body. While the government frames the change as a reform to improve tax collection efficiency, striking workers have raised two core objections: widespread fears that the restructuring will erode existing job protections for current staff, and broader concerns that the bill concentrates excessive regulatory power in the office of Prime Minister John Briceño, who also serves as the nation’s Minister of Finance.
In a bid to de-escalate the conflict and bring striking employees back to work, Public Service Minister Henry Charles Usher has publicly intervened to reassure workers of the government’s commitment to fair treatment during the transition. Speaking in a recent televised address that was transcribed for online distribution, Usher emphasized that his core mandate is to protect the interests of all public sector employees amid institutional changes.
“As the minister of public service my job is to ensure that the employees of any government institution are treated fairly, get the information they need so that they can make an informed decision going forward,” Usher stated. He confirmed that the policy to establish the new revenue authority has already received official government approval, but stressed that his office would prioritize transparency and worker rights regardless of the final outcome for staff. “Whatever happens with those employees, if they are going to remain there in the new entity, if they come into the wider public service, or if they decide to move on, we have to make sure to get the information, that they are treated fairly and they have an opportunity to make an informed decision,” he added.
When pressed on the second major criticism from the Public Service Union (PSU) – that the bill represents an overreach of executive power by concentrating too much authority in the Minister of Finance – Usher deflected the question to the finance portfolio. “I think that question should be asked of the Minister of Finance, the Ministry of Finance, the Financial Secretary. My job is look out for the employees of the institution, to look out for all the public officers to as I said, make sure they get the right information,” he explained.
As of September 1, 2026, the government’s outreach has not yet resulted in a formal end to the strike, with union leaders still waiting for written guarantees on job security and amendments to the controversial provisions of the bill. This report is a transcribed version of an evening television news broadcast from Belize, with Kriol language portions translated and formatted using a standardized spelling system for online publication.