The University of Belize Student Government Association will protest on Monday morning in Belmopan. This is after they wrote the Minister of Education on Monday and demanded a reply by yesterday, Thursday. The letter was again appealing to him to re-consider Government's decision to increase the registration fee for incoming students.
The minister did not reply and so on Monday - the Students will take it to the streets of Belmopan. SGA President Hope Amadi told us he has the backing of the students:..
Hope Amadi
"We ask the students if they would support us to go on strike and they said yes. They say that they will support us, to walk out of class and talk to the Minister - the Minister would understand how much this is a problem to us."
Reporter
"What is it you are hoping to accomplish?"
Hope Amadi
"We hope at the minister and Belizeans at large would acknowledge or know how much their children have grown over the years because over the years people have been taking the youths like they cannot do anything. We hope that by this the minister would understand how serious the students are in the issue that affect them the most which is the cut and the subsidy."
Reporter
"You have a strong protest. Why don't you join with the BNTU and the PSU?"
Hope Amadi
"This is the issue - if they go on strike on Tuesday and we join them, it wouldn't make much impact. It will still be looked at as the union's demonstration. The students have to be singled out, we have to understand that we are fighting for something that we think is beneficial for the students."
Jules Vasquez
"Yes, but don't you take a risk of embarrassing yourself because right now Hope you alone is standing here and this is the second time I am seeing this."
Hope Amadi
"As I said earlier we have the group in Belmopan trying to get the permit for Monday. They are supposed to be here. If you had listen earlier you would hear when they ask if they should come. I told them not to come anymore because it wouldn't make any sense they come down because it would be late. We have student government right here in Belize City, if you look around and ask them questions and see where they stand on the issue then you would know if I am standing alone or not standing alone."
Jules Vasquez
"Hope, real talk - these people don't want to stand behind you right now. They are sitting down over there. People are not embracing this issue for whatever reason."
Hope Amadi
"That is the issue and that is what we would be asking Belizeans to understand. Everyone in Belize understand this fact - they tell me Hope, what are you doing, when it comes to action nobody would stand behind you and that is why the government is using it against us. They understand that when time comes for action you will see nobody but this is one that is going to be different because on Monday in Belmopan it's going to be happening."
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