Teachers hold out for demands

Outside of the negotiating rooms the nation’s striking unions were busy keeping up the pressure…and the morale of their membership. Patrick Jones reports on what the teachers were up to today in Belize City.

Patrick Jones, Reporting
Symbolism was big at today?s B.N.T.U. rally as teachers held a mock funeral for all the things…and people they claim are responsible for the financial mess the country is in.

President of the Belize branch of Belize National Teachers Union Elena Smith says while it may appear as a joke to some, there is a serious message behind their gesture.

Elena Smith, President, B.N.T.U. Belize Branch
?It signifies that we are not in agreement with the taxes and we are not in agreement with what the government has been doing to us. And so that is the way how we can show because they are not listening to us. So we need to find other ways of showing them that we are fed up with what they are doing. So burying the taxes and burying our ministers is our way of showing to them that we are fed up.?

Frankie Rhys, Teacher, E.P. Yorke High
?What it means in effect is that the introduction of the new taxes is a black day for Belize. I don?t use black because we talk about white and black and a lot of that, but I talk about it in terms of the fact that the taxes will impact on the poorest section of our community. The government?s fiction that these taxes will not be passed on to consumers is just that, it?s a fiction because businesses have to make a profit and they will always pass as much of the overhead as they can possible pass on the consumers.?

As to what the teachers are going to do next, Smith says, just wait and see.

Elena Smith
?Well, I cannot say outright what we are going to be doing next. But we have plans for the rest of the week along with the other unions. We have major things that we will be doing tomorrow. So you will not hear from me, but you will see tomorrow. You will find out tomorrow what we will be doing.?

And with that forecast, the teachers? rally continued with speeches from a number of community leaders and supporters of their industrial action. Patrick Jones, for News 5.

Both the B.N.T.U. and P.S.U. say that the strike will continue indefinitely.