Agriculture worker, Michael Bonnell wants his severance after more than two decades on the job

In other court matters, an agriculture worker is seeking redress for what he says he’s owed after he was terminated in 2019. For four years, Michael Bonnell has tried to get more than 40 thousand dollars in severance wages after he was terminated by the company he worked for. He has now enlisted the help of Orson “OJ” Elrington, who spoke about the matter today. 

Orson “OJ” Elrington, Attorney at Law: “The gentleman is a man by the name of Mr.Michael Bonell. He was employed by I think I believe the name is Project Managements Limited but effectively it is a subsidiary of Fyffes. As you know Fyffes is a multinational company with revenue in the billions and they are involved in the agro productive sector Bananas and other fruits and vegetables and crops across the world. Sometime in 2019 the services of Mr. Bonell was summarily terminated and effectively while he was promised in his termination letter that he would be provided his full benefits to this day despite repeated requests they have failed to do so and therefore we had to bring a matter before the Supreme Court. So that matter was heard today.”

The case proceeds and according to Elrington, the matter is an example of how often large companies and corporations take advantage of hard-working people. 

Orson “OJ” Elrington, Attorney at Law: “We have our written submissions which will be due in about a month’s time and but what I take away from it if nothing else Dale is that this is a most unfortunate situation. This is, it reminds me so much of slavery, of colonialism where these large billion dollar multinationals try to take advantage of the small man. I mean this man worked twenty one years with an unblemished record, he had not even one single complaint on his record and because of a set of circumstances – again the facts are in dispute – he was terminated without being afforded the opportunity even to answer the allegations that were brought against him. So I think that how it’s a tremendous injustice and it is for that reason and you know me Dale some cases I take personal, I take with a certain level of I feel that it is not only an attack on Mr.Bonnell but an attack on every single ordinary Belizean and it is for that reason that I feel that it was absolutely necessary that we try to seek the redress of the Supreme Court in this matter.”

We will continue to follow the story.