While Finnegan called out Brackett, Brackett’s attorney – Kareem Musa – who is also the area representative for the Caribbean Shores called out the police. He says he’d like to see the same level of effort from police when going after white-collared criminals as they did with his client. Kareem Musa, Area Rep., Caribbean […]
Today is being celebrated as World Teachers Day. But, for the teachers in Belize, it’s day-three of their strike action as a part of the Stand Up for Belize Campaign. The day passed fairly quietly. Schools, for the most part, were closed. But the teachers were not idle. Across the country they were out on […]
The Teachers’ Union believes its message can be better spread to the community. So today, the men and women usually found in their classrooms were out on the pavement across the Old Capital. They spoke to any and everyone they met, and according to their branch president, found their message well-received. Kathleen Flowers told us […]
On Tuesday evening, the three unions representing public utility workers – the Communication Workers’ Union, the Energy Workers’ Union and the Water Services’ Workers’ Union—met in Belize City to discuss the activities of sister union the Belize National Teachers’ Union. As you might guess, they are in support. But how much was not yet determined […]
The Belize National Teachers’ Union wrote to the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Tuesday requesting their support for a shutdown of businesses on Thursday. According to the Union, they have done their part to issue the challenge to Government, and now they are asking the private sector to join in. But according to […]
Meanwhile the Chamber has reacted to G.O.B.’s announcement to sign the United Nations Convention on Anti-Corruption on December ninth. The B.C.C.I. says it supports Government’s plans to sign the UN Convention and other requested reform measures need not wait. These include the appointment of the thirteenth member of the Senate from among the N.G.O. community, […]
On Monday, we showed you the students of Muffles Junior College protesting in solidarity with their teachers. It was a rather interesting dynamic, as many have criticized teachers about abandoning classes and interrupting their students’ education to participate in the strike. We found a similar scene today in San Ignacio when News Five Andrea Polanco […]
On Tuesday, the B.N.T.U. sent a letter to Reverend Bishop Dorrick Wright expressing their support for him and in turn thanking the Reverend Bishop for his support of their strike action. In the letter, the B.N.T.U. also asked to meet with the Bishop to discuss allegations that there has been a request to remove him, […]
On Tuesday, Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin, who, in August, authored the historic decision on Section Fifty-three of the Criminal Code of Belize, denied the application for leave to appeal made by the National Evangelical Association of Belize, who wanted to join the case as an interested party. The Chief Justice refused Anthony Sylvestre, holding brief […]
The Government, represented by the Attorney General, initially chose not to appeal the decision at all, provoking fierce reaction from Belize’s more conservative elements. It was only after some protest that it chose to go after a narrow point, the decision of the Chief Justice to agree that sex as defined in Belize’s Constitution and […]
Back in 1996, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) closed its Belize office after thirteen years and more than one hundred million U.S. dollars in assistance to Belize. But the organization has not completely disappeared from the country entirely. It continues to support local organizations in the fight against HIV/AIDS, and after ten […]
Support has been coming in for teachers from all corners and tonight, one parent is taking on the challenge. Maria Villanueva, a resident of Belize City, is in full support of the teachers and their cause. Since primary schools—at least for her grandchildren—are closed, she is putting them to work; doing chores around the house […]
As we mentioned earlier in the newscast, today is World Teachers Day. While it was not planned to coincide with this ongoing strike, B.N.T.U.’s Kathleen Flowers, says they are gratified that the chosen theme for this year’s observance, “Valuing Teachers – Improving Their Status,” speaks directly to their present circumstances. Kathleen Flowers, President, Belize […]
The Belize National Teachers Union is stepping up its Stand Up for Belize Campaign and a nationwide successful strike organized by the Belize National Teachers’ Union beginning on Monday will continue for at least the next two days, on Wednesday and Thursday. That means that most schools will remain closed for at least that long. […]
It is not known what the union has in place for this Friday, but as we said, there will be two more days of industrial action by the teachers bringing further pressure on the government. After meetings this afternoon of regional branches, the B.N.T.U. Belize District Branch President Kathleen Flowers also announced that on Thursday, […]
As the situation continues to develop, the B.N.T.U. wrote to the Bishop Dorrick Wright of the Roman Catholic Church. In a release issued today, the Council of Management and Membership of the B.N.T.U. say that they are thankful for the Catholic Church and Bishop’s supports given to them in their fight for good governance, accountability […]
Cabinet met today in Belmopan and out of that sitting, a release was issued asking the unions to suspend the strike and return to the negotiating table. But first, G.O.B. says it is disappointed that the B.N.T.U. moved the goalposts in deciding to strike, closing schools and affecting the children even though the B.N.T.U. had […]
On Monday, B.N.T.U. national president Luke Palacio offered further clarification on the matter of the salary adjustment, which the Government has homed in on as being ignored or set aside in favour of the eight points B.N.T.U. raised with the Government in the interest of good governance. According to Palacio, the Government has refused to […]
At today’s B.N.T.U. meeting, at the top of the discussion was the release sent out by the Government. President of the Belize District Branch Kathleen Flowers told the teachers that contrary to statements made by ministers, the B.N.T.U. has always been open to negotiation and will continue to dialogue if efforts are made. She also […]
It’s day-two and the B.N.T.U. has already announced that it will continue on to a third consecutive day of industrial action to be followed by a national demonstration. But even before today’s cabinet meeting where the government is calling for the B.N.T.U. to return to the negotiating table, News Five asked the Deputy Prime Minister […]
And that statutory instrument which paves the way for the appointment of replacement teachers has also been the source of contention for the B.N.T.U. It is felt that those teachers would be drawn from the one thousand three hundred who were removed from the classrooms this year because they had no pedagogical training and license. […]
After years of resisting, the G.O.B. recently agreed to sign the United Nations Convention Against Corruption. Prime Minister Dean Barrow did so at a recent meeting with the Belize Chamber of Commerce when he solicited support for a bicameral investigation into the Immigration scandal. But with things bubbling, the government has now pinned down a […]
Will the Public Service Union join the Teachers’ Union in solidarity and possibly on the streets? That is the subject of consultations which began this afternoon at the P.S.U.’s headquarters, which it shares with the National Trade Union Congress of Belize. The meeting was contentious and even quarrelsome, as Union president Eldred Neal faced off […]
On the matter of the salary adjustment, which the P.S.U. has voted to defer, and Proposal twenty-two relating to pensions for non-teaching staff, Neal explained that time was spent clarifying what happened to both P.S.U. and non-P.S.U. member public officers. He also denied that the Union was making decisions without consultation. Eldred Neal, President, […]
P.S.U. President Eldred Neal advised both unionists and public officers who were not members to attend the coming meetings so that their views can be heard and taken into account. This follows a concern about the turnout at this afternoon’s meeting, in the municipality with the greatest number of public officers both living and working. […]
