Protesting Teachers Arrested In Benque

If you were on the nation’s highways this morning, you were probably among the hundreds of people unable to get to work on time as striking teachers staged their second blockage.  Now in day-sixteen of their strike, the teachers are ramping it up and in one community out west, there was some trouble with tires. News Five’s Paul Lopez was in Benque Viejo today where several teachers had a run-in with the law.

Bay Riva, B.N.T.U. President, Benque Branch

“We have been on strike for three weeks already and we have been peaceful. We have been doing everything that we were supposed to do. What did that get us? Disrespect. So we are saying that the regular peaceful things don’t’ work with this government. So we feel that there is a need that since we are continuing on this strike that we need to find ways for the government to hear us.”

Paul Lopez, Reporting

Two of the four teachers detained were charged with a single count of “attempting to set a bon-fire without the permission of the police.”

Chester Williams

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“As a matter of fact,  we were able to detain four teachers in the Benque Area who were seen putting tires on the highway and were about to light it on fire. Police caught them and they were arrested and charged. And they will be going to court for that.”

The President of the Benque B.N.T.U. says the teachers were simply clearing the road.

Bay Riva

Bay Riva

“Well listen, as far as we are concerned those teachers were moving some tires. The tires mih deh eena the way and they were moving the tires. That is as far as that is concerned.”

Paul Lopez

“What the nation is seeing here in Benque today is sort of historic in that in most of these protest, where teachers are concerned, we rarely see the detention, arrest and charge of teachers. Does this speak to the frustration that you mention, or a new wave? And would you say more teachers are willing to take charges?”

Bay Riva

“I recall back in 2005 when the then Leader of the Opposition, Honorable Dean Barrow called for a sustained campaign of civil disobedience. He said it needs to be as unprecedented as the crisis it is meant to combat. So the situation itself kind of demands a different level of action.”

Benque teachers gathered in front the police station, demanding the release of their colleagues. Rivas posted bail for two teachers who were charged. They are scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday.

Bay Riva

“We will be there standing in solidarity. We do not leave anyone behind.  And we will stand together. Even in these times. You have to realize, for a teacher, a person who is a role model in the community to his children, to feel the need to go to that extent to say well we have to block the road, we have to do these other actions. It begs the question: why would they need to feel to do that, just to be heard?”

Reporting for News Five I am Paul Lopez.

The teachers are demanding a return to their correct pay scale after the increment freeze and better compensation for the ten percent salary cut.