B.N.T.U. Ready to Defend Teachers

A group of teachers at Punta Gorda’s Saint Peter Claver Primary School have express their discontent with the assistant local manager for the district’s school. Since 2020, the teachers have been registering their discontent to the school’s board and the Ministry of Education. One of those teachers is Ray Martinez who told News Five on Monday that the assistant local manager has been undermining the administrative principal for quite too long. The relevant authorities have yet to address the teachers’ concern but the Belize National Teachers Union has noted the tensions at the school and National President Elena Smith says the union is ready to intervene if the teachers request it.

Elena Smith

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

“We are aware and when I saw aware I want to be very clear in that. The teachers who have the concerns wrote to their general manager and they copied us in that email and so because they copied us in that email we were able to see what were the concerns that they have in terms of their local manager and admin at the school. They have not however have requested for BNTU to assist them in addressing the matter. As an union, when a teacher has an issue we don’t just go out there and take on the issue. The teacher has to request that we intervene and assist them in addressing the matter. That is when we come in. So without that request we wouldn’t just jump up and go do that. So we have been informed. The branch president had indicated to us that there was a situation. As I said we were coped in the mail. Another mail was sent just recently and again it wasn’t address to us but we were copied in it. So we have been aware of those issues. I spoke one of the teachers yesterday. I called him and I spoke to him with regards to the situation and I reminded him again that we are here and if it is that they need us to come in and intervene then they can always let us know. Call us or send us an email and we will be more than willing to step in and have a discussion with them.”