Teachers Line Highways in Municipalities
The teachers are going to strike and leading up to next week Monday, they were out once again today in various municipalities to say no to the salary cut and increment freeze. News Five’s Duane Moody caught up with a group in Hattieville and compiled this story with footage and interviews from the island and down south.
Duane Moody, Reporting
Between 7:15 and 8:30 this morning, teachers with placards in hand lined portions of the highways across the country. It is part of their planned activities as they continue to say No! to the ten percent salary cut and three-year increment freeze. A group was in Hattieville.
Annette Pech
Annette Pech, Member, B.N.T.U. Belmopan
“We are saying ninety percent across the board with the teacher population that we do not agree with this ten percent. What we are not appreciating, what the government is doing presently right now is that this is our reality; this is what is happening. This is our ministry, our Prime Minister, all our ministers and this is where we are. You’re asking us for this ten percent; however, you are not willing to give us what we are asking for. I would be ready to give them their ten percent if they would do what is right. What is right is that we are asking for equality, equity and liberation. That liberation means sign on to UNCAC; put your money where your mouth is.”
The B.N.T.U., on behalf of the teachers, has wrote to Minister of Education Francis Fonseca saying that commencing on Monday, April twenty-sixth, they will officially go on strike. On La Isla Bonita, San Pedro teachers also came out in solidarity today.
Helen Melendez
Helen Melendez, Member, San Pedro
“We still stand against the ten percent pay cut Dion. The thing is that they have been no new proposal from the government. So until then we are going to take industrial action leading up to our strike day which is going to be on Monday.”
Elsewhere the same occurred, including Dangriga. And as these photos courtesy of Southern Belize Media show, the teachers could be seen along the stretch of the Hummingbird Highway in the Culture Capital. They are demanding justice for our tax dollars and say corruption is the enemy to development and good governance. Duane Moody for News Five.
