B.N.T.U. to Demonstrate on November Seventh

The Belize National Teachers Union is putting the government on notice that it will demonstrate one week from today, on Wednesday, November seventh in Belmopan. That was the announcement made this afternoon during an impromptu press conference held at its headquarters in Belize City, in the presence of its executive council and members including past president, Luke Palacio. In October 2016, the B.N.T.U. demonstrated and then went on an eleven-day strike after it bucked heads with the Ministry of Education.  Today’s decision comes on the heels of a back and forth between the union and the the ministry over a plethora of issues including hardship allowances for teachers in remote areas of the country, the stalling of negotiations on Proposal Twenty-Two and what the B.N.T.U. calls the disrespect by the DPM and Minister of Education, Patrick Faber. National President Elena Smith says that the demonstration will send an unequivocal message to the ministry.

Ruth Shoman

Ruth Shoman, National Secretary, B.N.T.U.

“Nothing feeds an unfair authority more than silence. And so the B.N.T.U. is not one of those that will keep silent to feed unfair authority. (Clapping) And today the branch presidents are present because they came with a mandate from their membership. As it was said at the beginning, we work from the ground up; decisions made here are not Elena Smith’s decisions or any one person’s decision. These are decisions made by our membership and so today we are announcing that on November seventh, the B.N.T.U. will demonstrate once more. (Clapping)”

Elena Smith

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

“You’ve gotten a picture of what has been happening and you realize that we are no longer going to take this anymore. The last time we said to you all enough of writing press releases and having these press conferences because it seem as though persons think that we are playing around. But if you can see us right now this is just the beginning of what is to come.”