B.N.T.U. Says Wheel and Come Again, Minister Faber

Nadia Caliz

And so the B.N.T.U. says that it will be participating in the meetings scheduled for the categorization list. But in the mean time, they want to make their point loud and clear that they will stand up for what they believe.  Nadia Caliz hit back at the Minister of Education’s comments about Stann Creek teachers.  He said, “We bend backwards, something we’re not obliged to do, to provide bus runs for teachers to get them to school on a daily basis; not only on a daily basis but even when is payday there.”  The Stann Creek teacher, who sits on the B.N.T.U. executive, didn’t take the minister’s words lightly and today reminded him of the function of his job.

Nadia Caliz, B.N.T.U. Executive

“Let me pick directly at a point the Minister said. He spends the most on transportation in the Stann Creek. First of all, when you run for government, and you look at the role and function – this is what I want this country to understand. This government has role, it has a function, it has responsibilities it must carry out; one of them is to improve the welfare of Belizeans, not to make it worse, improve it. This particular suggestion is not improvement; providing transportation happens to be one of the ways of how you improve people’s life. So, it is not like he is doing a special favour. He is carrying out his role and responsibilities. He signed up for this when he decided that he wanted to become a minister of minister of government. So, please learn, ladies and gentlemen, the role of government because sometimes these guys think they are doing a big favour for us when it is actually the role of government. And I pay my taxes. We pay our taxes and it is our tax money that they use to carry out these functions. So, it is no big special favour. Yes, of course, teachers appreciate that bit don’t make it seems like if you didn’t agree it would not take place. Let’s take some of that out. Then providing transportation for the Stann Creek district teachers at the end of the month – if you are having classes half day, so what are you going to do with the children because the children also commute to the school. So, if you are having half day classes because they have the other time off, how do you expect the teachers and the children to get home? The buses must return. But he making it appear as if special arrangements have been made to get them there – no. All these changes, we have to be realistic, Minister, realistic. You have a formula and it seems like it is the best thing. But let us get on the ground and see if it will work. I am happy with C.E.O. Domingo, her comment was clear, ‘I would like to hear what they are not pleased with and we can see how we can correct it.’ That is the way how you bridge the gap in education. Not this that you like to do. That needs to end.  They have to bear in mind that when it comes to welfare. We deal with welfare, because most of the problems that we have when it comes to welfare it is because of the kind of systems that management put in place. Let’s take a look back into Belize’s history. When the employer passed a law that says anybody who is absent from work can be punishes or whipped or they don’t have to pay you If they are not satisfied with your work. That same employer sat as a part of the judiciary so when they take you to court you are also punished. You can’t be judge, lawyer, jury and that is what they are doing when they squeeze us with the management.  We are aware of the tactic Minister, we are not going to sit and allow that anymore.”