Cayo teacher elected new B.N.T.U. president

The Belize National Teachers Union has a new president. He is Jaime Panti, who at the time of the election was the president of the San Ignacio Branch. Panti received a total of two hundred and seventy votes. His opponent, President of the Belize Branch Elena Smith, garnered only one hundred and eighty-nine votes. Former President Anthony Fuentes is leaving the country on study leave. As for the two other posts that were contested, Endevora Jorgensen is the new National Secretary, while Victor Williams is the new National Treasurer. The election was the highlight of the thirty-second B.N.T.U. Convention that took place over the last two days at the Novelo’s Convention Centre in Santa Elena Town. The more than four hundred teacher participants discussed a number of issues including reports from the ten branches and Amendments to their Constitution. Guest speakers at the event were Dr. Arlie Petters of Petters Research Institute and Senator Godwin Hulse who spoke on socio-economic issues facing Belize.