Senator Elena Smith to Retire from B.N.T.U Leadership

Elena Smith

She has been at the helm of arguably the most firebrand union for over five years, but come June 2023, Senator Elena Smith will be stepping down as President of the Belize National Teachers Union. Smith has held many hats including union leader, activist, teacher, parent and senator. While she will be demitting that post in six months, Smith says that she will still remain a unionist.

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

“It has been a challenge, but I think when you have a passion for what you do and you have supportive family members, it helps. Even at times when they don’t support you, when they say enough is enough. My family has said to me, you’ve been in it for twenty-seven years; it is time for you to leave that and attend to your family. But it’s something that I love – just as much as I love my teaching, I love my union work. And so the balance has been difficult at times, but thank God I have managed to overcome that and I am now at the end of that journey. So I think I’ve done well.”

Reporter

“But unionism is not something that you retire from right, correct?”

Elena Smith

“Of course not. I mean just as they say once a teacher always a teacher – that stays in you because you have the passion for it. And so while you may not be in the leadership position, you are still going to be active and involved in the movement because it is something that you believe in.  So I don’t know when I will retire from it. I will retire from the leadership, but not from being an active member of my union.”

Duane Moody

“When do you retire from the leadership?”

Elena Smith

“June.”