Faber Not Backing Down, But Will Prime Minister Weigh In?

Patrick Faber

In his capacity as Acting Prime Minister, Faber was privy to a letter written by B.N.T.U. President Luke Palacio to PM Barrow in which he requested that the notice issued by the Ministry of Education be withdrawn.  While Faber acknowledges a conflict of interest should he respond to the letter, he says his position on the salary deduction is clear.  That decision nonetheless, is left for the prime minister to make.

Patrick Faber, Minister of Education

“I can tell you that the president of the B.N.T.U. has written to the prime minister and of course I got to see that letter because I’m acting as prime minister now.  But it was basically a complaint letter and the letter was asking for the prime minister in his capacity as Minister of Finance to rescind the memo sent by the Ministry of Education to effect the deductions.  I will, although I’m acting in the capacity as prime minister now, I will certainly not act on that particular issue because it may well be a conflict [of interest].  Everybody knows what my answer would be.  I will leave it for when PM Barrow returns for him [to respond] or if he is, I believe he should be getting the information even though he is away.  So I will leave it for him to answer the B.N.T.U.   But, you know, this gives me the opportunity to clear up the position as it relates to the B.N.T.U.   I genuinely gave an olive branch offer for us to work out some kind of solution, I was genuine in that action.  B.N.T.U. insisted that they would not come to the table under what I thought were very reasonable terms.”