Who’s to Blame for Delayed Teacher’s Salaries? Not Me, Says M.O.E.

Since the Supreme Court decision in favor of the Belize National Teachers Union last Monday, the Ministry of Education has been silent about the processing of salaries for the month of November.  Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin ruled that government cannot dock the wages of teachers who participated in an eleven-day strike in October, until the high court has decided on the legality of such action.  That judgment; however, was preempted by the ministry’s move to withhold a portion of their pay, to reflect the days that teachers were absent from school.  Tonight, there are teachers who have not received their incomes, despite MOE having submitted its monthly contributions to the respective managing authorities.  News Five is reliably informed that all but one school manager has been contacted and provided with government’s subsidy.  So why haven’t all teachers received their pay, especially since the last Friday of the month was on November twenty-fifth?  It’s a question that the ministry cannot answer, neither is it taking blame for the unnecessary delay.  When asked earlier today, ministry officials confirmed that they have been receiving queries concerning salaries.  News Five was also told that the holdup may very well be with the various banks who now have to follow a new automated payment and securities system established by the Central Bank.