BCCI President says employees are doing what they can to stay afloat

President of the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Marcello Blake says that employers, who are cutting down the hours of their employees’ working hours are simply doing so to stay afloat. At the start of the year, the government’s increase in the minimum wage came into full effect. Since then, some businesses have engaged in cost-saving measures such as firing employees and scaling working hours. Blake says that the issue was one that the BCCI expected and is looking into. 

Marcelo Blake, President, Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry: “We haven’t yet. We’ve been speaking to some members in fact this was part of what we discussed the last time we were here which is businesses will find ways of ensuring that they can stay afloat at least in the short term so with that increase they’re looking at the ways of how they’ll be able to continue business and continue to hold onto the workers that they have. We all know that the pool of skilled workers in Belize is rather small so when you have persons who add value to your organization you will find ways of how you keep them.”