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Daniel Ortiz reporting
250 to 300 teachers and their supporters took the streets of Orange Walk Town this morning, a show of support for their union, which has decided to step up its advocacy on different social issues.

It's the first Friday of classes after the Christmas Holiday, but the teachers believed that this rally had to take place. It was important to them to be able to voice their concerns to the nation, since last year was filled with different political scandals, some of which have still not been resolved.

Lourdes Saldivar - Retired Teacher
"I am supporting them 100% because I have been a teacher for 20 plus years and I know what it is to be a teacher, but only that, I am a citizen of Orange Walk and a Belizean."

Alfredo Ortega - Vice Chair, BSCFA
"We have an amount of cane farmers that are teachers also."

Teacher
"I am very happy. No words can express how happy I am. I am sending that message to the government saying we mean business and we mean that word compromise. Compromise with us and that is what we want. We are demanding that from them today."

Alfredo Ortega - Vice Chair, BSCFA
"We think that the cause they are fighting for, not only for their salary adjustment as they say but there are other issues that they are looking forward for the nation and I think that once those things can go through, I think that that will benefit not only the teachers but also the cane farmers at large."

The teachers then gathered in Queen Elizabeth Park, ready to listen to their leaders.

The main slogan for today's rally was "Teechaz ga yu back". They had each other's backs, showing support, especially in the wake of the disapproval from the Minister of Education because they chose a school day to exercise their right to demonstrate.

Luke Palacio - National President, BNTU
"We know that right now we are coming under fire because we are standing up for what we believe in. We believe that the teachers of this nation are the backbone of this nation and when we see things wrong, we need to make it right and therefore today I salute the Orange Walk branch, I salute all of you teachers who are out here because you believe in the cause that we are standing up for."

"We want to make it absolutely clear that despite what Patrick Faber and his other minions on the radio are saying this morning that we are demonstrating or rallying against a salary adjustment. That is not the purpose of this rally. This rally was planned a long time ago because our council of management based on what you as our members have said to us; we need to address a number of national issues."

He did spend some time in his address on that tricky salary adjustment issue.

Luke Palacio - National President, BNTU
"You know it only too well. You as parents, you as housewives, you as farmers know that when you go to the store what you could have purchased in 2005, the last time we got a salary adjustment you can purchase probably half of that amount and we are going to fight that our salary be adjusted because we contribute to the development of this country."

"When the Prime Minister speaks that in addition to the increment that is given which he states is about 2%. We need to let the public understand that not every teacher gets an increment. We need to let the public understand that not every public officer gets an increment. So let's not try to create this confusion so that the people can believe that we are greedy. We are not. We are fighting for what we deserved and we are going to continue to fight."

But eventually, Palacio got to the real reasons they were in Orange Walk, the social issues.

Luke Palacio - National President, BNTU
"In terms of the national issues my friends, brothers and sisters we have the issue of corruption. Everybody knows what is going on and corruption did not start with this government. So when they start to accuse of trying to be political and partisan, this is a national issue and if we do not start the process of ensuring that we put a stop to some of these grave injustices that are happening in our country. We cannot continue to change black for monkey in this country and believe we have democracy."

"On the matter of social security, we all know it too well that when the teachers in particular, maybe most workers travel to and from work - social security will not cover you if you get into an accident, if you get injured. We have fighting that particular regulation for years. It's not today. Every seminar that the BNTU had, every convention that the BNTU has, every time we engage with social security we raised this matter. So tell me, if it is only a teachers matter."

"The members of the House of Representatives have big insurance; they don't care whether you can afford to recuperate to get the medication, to get the medical treatment that you need."

That was but a few of the issues he touched. The teachers also made no apologies for unionizing on the school day.

Luke Palacio - National President, BNTU
"You can see what the intent was to try and intimidate us and they said we did not ask permission and we are going to clear this up. When the union carries out an activity be it a rally, be it a demonstration, be it industrial action, out task is to just inform the managements and the ministry. Unfortunately all of a sudden Patrick Faber who has called the teachers all sorts of names, making our children believes that our teachers are irresponsible and not performing. Now all of a sudden the teachers should be there for the children. He forgets everything else he has said about us. We must stand up to show him, we are educators, we are not fools."

Arcadia Carillo - Retired Teacher, 55 years of Service
"I think there is no tomorrow. Tomorrow never comes. When we say tomorrow, it will be today when we get there, so tomorrow for me is a wrong word to use."

Lourdes Saldivar - Retired Teacher
"I see that fair is being washed away as well."

Luke Palacio - National President, BNTU
"We as union will remain on our defensive. We are going to carry out these rallies throughout this country as we have planned because if we go back then we would have failed."