Teachers will stay out indefinitely

And what of the future? We caught up with B.N.T.U. president Anthony Fuentes and he told us that his union will be meeting on Tuesday with the Prime Minister…but until a satisfactory outcome is reached, teachers will continue their boycott.

Anthony Fuentes, B.N.T.U., President
?The strike will continue until they hear from the union representatives. The strike will continue tomorrow.?

Stewart Krohn
?Mr. Fuentes, what is your evaluation of Friday?s action and the difference between the way your people behaved and the way other people in the crowd behaved??

Anthony Fuentes
?Okay, I must say that our teachers were demonstrating in Belmopan very peacefully and in fact a line was drawn between the Opposition and our Trade Unions so that our people weren?t involved in any stoning and these sort of things that took place in Belmopan. But at the end of the day some our teachers were dragged by members of the police, some of them were pepper sprayed especially by Mr. Crispin Jefferies, which was something that was uncalled for. Teachers were peacefully demonstrating in Belmopan to show the Government of the day that we are serious about what we are doing.?

Stewart Krohn
?Yes, Mr. Fuentes but your permit ran out at three o?clock. They gave you an extension until four. But at four o?clock you specifically told your people not to move. So having done that didn?t they deserve whatever they got??

Anthony Fuentes
?No, I don?t think so. We were doing this very peacefully as have stated. There is a time in a person?s life when you need to stand up and that was what the members, both teachers and public officers were doing on Friday. We were standing up for what is right.?

Fuentes reiterated his hope that the Prime Minister will reconsider his decision on taxes and salary increases.