Alfonso Noble pickets B.N.T.U.; asks that teachers go back to classrooms

We’re not sure what to call this morning’s march from Cinderella Plaza to the headquarters of the Belize National Teacher’s Union in Belize City. Was it a protest – when we counted far more police guarding the protestors along the route – approximately twenty, including Inspector of Police Fitzroy Yearwood standing guard in front of the B.N.T.U. headquarters – than actual protestors, a total of four? Was it a demonstration, a picket, a march? Whichever, organizer Alfonso Noble was clear on its purpose: to raise the voices of those who do not support the B.N.T.U.’s industrial action and want their kids back in school.

Alfonso Noble, Protestor

“You see, it might seem funny, it might seem like a joke that it’s only me and Yellowman and Allan Kelly and my brother out here, but let me explain something to you: this is four persons standing for a belief that thousands of Belizeans have out here. Let me explain something to you: this is the start, you know? The teachers need to go back to school. This is me, Alfonso Noble, proving a point that I will be out here; I am coming out and doing my exercise, to show the teachers that we need to have the children in school. Man, Luke Palacio needs to stop his nonsense; Luke Palacio needs to go back to the negotiating table.”

Aaron Humes

“Obviously there are the eight negotiating points – it’s obvious that not only do they have support from various sectors of the society, it’s clear they have sticking power for several days now. So how would you tell your Government to negotiate that? Because it’s not just a matter of coming back to the negotiating table; it’s negotiating to the satisfaction of the teachers?”

Alfonso Noble

Alfonso Noble

“But Aaron, how do we get to negotiating when we are not even sitting around a table? Explain that to me. How do you sit and negotiate with somebody who is not willing to sit with you? And this has nothing to do with the Government, this has nothing to do with the teachers out at school and everything – this has to do with my child, being at home doing absolutely nothing? Making demands is not negotiating. How is that negotiating – making demands and not coming to the table to negotiate, how is that reaching any amicable solution or any solution whatsoever? In fact how do you even get to the point of discussing anything, when you are not coming to the table.”

Noble repeated several times during the course of our conversation that the protest was not sponsored by or indeed had anything to do with the United Democratic Party. But we are obligated to note for the record that he is a co-host on party station WAVE Radio’s morning show and editor of the official party newspaper, the Guardian.