B.N.T.U.’s Palacio said Education Minister never put Strike Fund in play

The strike fund and its intended use are also at the center of the ongoing controversy.  According to B.N.T.U. President Luke Palacio, the Minister of Education quotes liberally from a convention in the north where a decision was met to revise the purpose of the strike fund.  Palacio says that Faber is pretending that he is unaware of the redefinition of the strike fund.

Luke Palacio, President, National B.N.T.U.

Luke Palacio

“The minister said that we never said to him that our strike fund is not to be used to pay for teachers who go on strike.  He’s aware of the constitution, nobody had to tell him that but he was prepared to also quote from a convention in Orange Walk where a resolution was passed so as to redefine the strike fund so as to cover for those who go on strike.  So how can he say that he is not aware.  He continues to insist that I did not put that in writing, but that has been what he has been harping upon.  He should have made that request before making the statement or even making the suggestion that we use our strike fund for that purpose.  We are clear again, that is not the purpose of the strike fund and we are not prepared to change that unless our membership says so and our union would have to determine that it is a feasible thing for us to do because our members only pay a dollar a month towards that strike fund.  Again, to our membership and to the Belizean public, we are extremely grateful for you to be standing with us at this time, we continue to get messages of solidarity, messages of support and to make it clear, we are not here to try and destroy this country but we are determined to make Belize a better place so that we can leave it for those generations coming behind as a better place than what it is today.”

The Ministry of Education has offered to compensate teachers who make up the time lost as a result of the eleven-day strike.