B.N.T.U. Explains Spending and Teachers’ Day Plans

Elena Smith

While the education minister blames B.N.T.U.’s dropping out on a lack of willingness to participate financially, the union president says that significant funds have been spent documenting the plight of teachers during the twelve days of strike action in 2016.  Monies have also been expended more recently on organizing the March twenty-second anti-violence demonstration in Belmopan, which saw hundreds of teachers being bused to the capital city.

Elena Smith, National President, B.N.T.U.

“Noting all that we did over the past year, you know, we’ve had the rally; we’ve had the launch of the DVD.  We had to get those DVDs produced.  We’ve spent a pretty penny on those things that our members that our members tasked us to do.  And so, our council met on Saturday and we, the council decided, I presented to them, you know, what are the positions, what are the facts, what has happened in the past and they made the decision that B.N.T.U. is unable to contribute towards that celebration this year. We have suggested to them, Isani, that since the managements play a key role in the education system; one year the teachers foot the bill, and there are some managements who do contribute for that year, you know.  They would give their teachers something, and I applaud those managements.  When it’s at the branch level, the union foots the bill along with the teachers, [who] would give a small contribution.  At national, we would have to pay again, so we would be spending money twice to celebrate our teachers.  It is not only our responsibility.”