B.N.T.U. Replaces Elena on Teaching Services Commission

Elena Smith

In regards to the Teaching Services Commission, Smith told us that it was the Ministry that brought the issue to their attention and only one meeting has been missed as a result. A replacement for Smith – Union secretary Ruth Shoman – has been named and will be attending the November meeting. But the bigger question for the B.N.T.U. president is why Education Minister Patrick Faber would attempt to inject politics into the discussion by accusing the Union of preferring the national interest to their constituents. Smith has strong views on this.

Elena Smith, National President, B.N.T.U.

“The rules clearly state that a member of the National Assembly cannot be a Commissioner on the Teaching Services Commission. Unfortunately, we did not take the time, any of us – either the Union or the Ministry – to look at that matter, because as was explained to me by Mrs. [Deborah] Domingo, automatically the president sits on that commission, and so they were not looking at me sitting there as a senator, but sitting as president of the B.N.T.U. And until it was pointed out to them that they found the error and so they chose to correct that error. The rule is clear. I, nor B.N.T.U., can argue that point. And so we had to go find another person to sit on that Commission, representing the B.N.T.U. How can my removal from the Commission, based on a rule, be reflective of the B.N.T.U. not looking out for the benefit of our teachers or not working for our teachers? Those have to be [the] words of a fool. They can’t be anything else.”

The Union has a scheduled meeting of its Council of Management this weekend to discuss and formulate positions on several national issues, including the recent B.T.L. ruling by the Caribbean Court of Justice.