B.N.T.U.’s Nadia Caliz Discusses Teachers’ Dilemma

Nadia Caliz

Contextualizing the argument on behalf of the teachers who took part in the strike was Nadia Caliz.  She’s a member of the council of management representing the Stann Creek District.  According to Caliz, there are teachers who abstained from the walkout who will also benefit from a five percent interest on the deferral of the remaining tranche of the salary adjustment.  That, she says, is a whole other kettle of fish.

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

“You first asked the question about teachers, the difference between teachers who went to the classroom and teachers who went on strike and it not being fair for them to be paid and stuff like that.  Those of us who went on strike also had a mandate and we wanted what we call a percentage on our three percent, what we call interest and we got a five percent interest on the deferral.  Now should the teachers in the classroom who went to school be given that or should they be denied of that because they went strike?  So you have another situation that you need to look at too.  So before we look for reasons to divide, that is key.  Another thing, the way we view this argument over what the strike fund should be spent on and not spent on, we see it clearly as another form of trying to hold a rope around our membership’s neck making it look as if though we are not concerned about them.  That is one.  Making it look like, “Oh I have the money and I control.  If unu eva think bout go pan strike again, mek ah show unu weh di happen, weh ah wah do to unu.  Ah noh wah pay unu.”  That’s what we see and we want our membership to understand clearly that is not the way for anybody to treat you.  We’re not supposed to be begging for money.  We are not supposed to be begging for money.”

We’ll have more on the weekend rally in Monday’s newscast.