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Two weeks ago, we told you about the layoffs at the Belize Tourism Board.  The word that we got was that 50 staffers were being sent home.  Well, it’s actually 35 - but they weren’t just sent home: they got all their benefits with severance paid up, payment up to the end of March, along with an ex gratia payment of three months salary.  

The separation package comes with a commitment that once the tourism economy rebounds and job functions are restored, they will be considered for re-employment.  

35 employees took up the offer and 65 employees remain on staff - with a pay cut which has not been decided on yet.  And that’s necessary because - with tourism in a shutdown - BTB isn’t getting any hotel taxes or head tax collections, thus it has no revenue.  

Because of this, many many job functions were deemed redundant, including hotel tax auditors, travel trade representatives, and those staffers who work at the border.  Marketing and Public Relations staff were not cut, the Director, Karen Bevans tells us. 

Yesterday at the National Task Force Press Conference, we asked the Prime Minister about making such cuts:

Jules Vasquez
"Has the BTB not created a morale hazard as far as, how can they reasonably request tourism businesses, who are haemorrhaging, how can they reasonably expect them to keep on staff, when they so were quick to release staff?"

Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow - Prime Minister
"Well the BTB insist this was a measure it had to take because all their revenues were drying up but they were as reported to me, scrupulous in ensuring that those that were laid off, were paid the proper severance benefits, so that my understanding and I'm not quoting from the BTB director, it's not verbatim but my sense was that, those people being laid off or in majority of cases, their separation package was such that it would see them through for at least 3 months. So if such persons applied because as Dr. Barnett told you, they would have to be screened by her and by Chris with the assistance of the BTB. The very BTB will be able to say but lord man, so and so can't qualify because so and so has received the equivalent of 3 or 4 months wages."

The BTB has cut some of its smaller marketing contracts but is keeping those in the USA, Canada, and Europe, reportedly at a reduced agency retainer fee.