By Zoila Palma: The United Democratic Party (UDP) is expressing its support for the Occupational Safety and Health Bill, which was read a second and third time in the House of Representatives describing the legislation as overdue but necessary.
The party noted that the Bill has been “nearly two decades in the making,” shaped by consultations with trade unions, the business community, and successive governments, and said its advancement signals progress on worker protection.
In a statement, the UDP Parliamentary Caucus made clear that its backing of the Bill is unequivocal, stressing that “advancing this Amended Bill is a step in the right direction.”
However, the caucus cautioned that passage alone is insufficient and emphasized the urgent need for accompanying regulations to ensure effective and fair implementation across sectors.
The UDP also outlined several concerns with the amended legislation, pointing to the scope of enforcement powers and the structure of penalties.
Among its observations, the UDP highlighted “the broad powers granted to inspectors,” the reliance on ministerial regulations, and a penalty notice system that could allow violations to be resolved through fines rather than corrective action, while also noting the absence of a clear remedy for workers harmed by breaches of the Act.
Reaffirming its policy position, the UDP said any occupational safety and health framework must be “worker-centered, ensuring safe and healthy conditions,” while remaining fair, predictable, and focused on prevention.
The UDP further applauded the National Trade Union Congress of Belize for its sustained advocacy and underscored that its parliamentary boycott did not negate its support for the Bill, concluding that “the health of the nation is the wealth of the nation” and calling for balanced protections for both workers and employers.
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By Zoila Palma: The United Democratic Party (UDP) is expressing its support for the Occupational Safety and Health Bill, which was read a second and third time in the House of Representatives describing the legislation as overdue but necessary. The party noted that the Bill has been “nearly two decades in the making,” shaped by
The post UDP supports Occupational Safety and Health bill, calls for stronger rules and fair implementation appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
