B.N.T.U. President Says Precedent Set For Full Council Of Management To Meet Gov’t.

Luke Palacio

The Union also cites previous instances when both the Prime Minister and Minister of Education have met with the Council of Management as its basis for explaining why the Council should not be pared down for this meeting.

Luke Palacio, National President, B.N.T.U.

“You don’t know who you are dealing with when you are dealing with the Minister of Education and to a certain extent, some of his operatives. The Prime Minister has met with our entire Council of Management. What is so wrong? What is so important? What is so….that Minister Faber wants to hide or what is he trying to come with? Is he trying to come and strong-hand the Union? Our procedures, our processes are democratic. Our Council of Management is prepared to meet with the Minister; in fact his first invitation, at least the invitation at the first – let me clarify – was for us to meet at the ITVET. When the Minister wanted us to support the matter of the Special Permit – that saw a number, a great number of our teachers who held provisional licenses that would have been expired or were already expired – he invited the entire Council. When he wanted us to look at amendments that they are currently recommending for the Education Rules for this country, he invited the entire Council. Now you are affecting our members throughout the entire country; you are going to get to deal with the bottom-line, the pocket of these individuals, who no doubt have expenses; and you will cold-heartedly write in a memo – and instruct the managers – that every penny that is to be deducted is to be deducted in a month. Where is the good-faith intention?”