Just about one year ago, in December of 2010, National Transport went into receivership leaving over 200 employees out in the cold.
Fast forward eleven months and 60% of those employees say they still have not gotten paid.
Today they were back in court with the labor commissioner going to bat for them against the receiver which acts on behalf of the Belize Bank.
Phillip Jones, himself a former employee who hasn't gotten paid continues to be the lead advocate for the bus drivers:..
Phillip Jones
"For the last 11 months now, we have just been back- and- forth at court and nothing has happened as yet. You know next month is December again, it would be another sad Christmas, and we have workers that just need basic things to try get by, because we still have about sixty to fifty five percent of the workers, still unemployed. That's a record number, what I am here right now is just to appeal to the Belize Bank and Mr. Kevin Castillo, appointed by the Belize Bank to have some social compassion and to let's get some closer, lets pay the workers so that they can have something to start fresh with again."
"We have a lot of family members relying on their little severance and whatever they have to get. It will be appreciated especially in these times. It's very challenging as you know, but we are not here to fight with them or whatever, we just want them to be reasonable and understand that they had taken over a business that was running. What was going on behind the scene, that's none of our concern, but we are workers, we were providing a service and we loved what we did."
The case in the Magistrate's Court has been adjourned for November 21st.
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