Government must stick to the rules

Eamon Courtenay

Courtenay says that government is treating teachers with disrespect and that the Education Rules must be adhered to by the Ministry of Education, as well as the Managing Authorities.

Reporter

“Sir, are your clients the teachers going to honor this January third that they should show up for work come the New Year?”

Eamon Courtenay, Attorney for B.N.T.U.

“You are asking the teachers to disregard the education rules, you are asking the teachers to be ordered by the government of Belize what to do? The answer is empathically no. I don’t understand why it is that the government believes that this is the way you treat teachers. This is the lack of respect that they have for a union and teachers. What business is it of theirs? There are managing authorities, there are rules and there are teachers that are represented by union and nobody believes that they have to speak to the teachers. Simply like infant children, you tell them what to do without a discussion. A little bit more of respect is expected here a little bit more of compliance with the rules that are binding on the teachers and the managing authorities is required.”

B.N.T.U. and the Ministry of Education are to report to the Chief Justice by February 2017 to apprise him of the outcome of the mediation.