Ministry of Education is allowing female teachers to attend tomorrow’s women’s rally – but warning all teachers that if they attend the Union’s rally and demonstration on Friday in Belmopan – they’ll have their pay docked. The call that a double standard.
This evening at the ITVET Compound in Belize City, we caught Education Minister Patrick Faber who told us that indeed, the teachers who go to rally on Friday should expect a pay cut. He told us why:
Hon. Patrick Faber - Minister of Education
"Also the fact that the teachers and public servants are now getting that 5% that they had clamoured for, and really, if their concern is about the other issues they're rallying for, then why is it that the children of our nation should suffer as a result of that. There are ways of giving that support for the causes that they claim without putting our children through all of this. You know, I take issue with the fact that they behave as if things are no moving to several of these issues that they've pointed out. There is activity happening, you might not agree with the level of it, but to say, the Government is sitting on it's hand. We're at that point where we have invoke industrial action which is clearly what that is, then we're not there. We're simply not there. The negotiations have not broken down. They will get a raise of up to 7 1/2% if you include the increment, the annual increment that is given. What is it that you have to protest, rally and to invoke industrial action about. And I am sorry. I don't see it, and so, as I've said, we've been lenient and patient, and I don't want anybody to get the impression that this ministry sits on its hands as it relates to enforcing the laws, the Education and Training Act and the accompanying rules. We're not sitting on our hands, and if the teachers have a right to demonstrate, rally and to invoke industrial action, there is power given to ministry as well, and we intend to use that power well."
Monica Bodden
"So, come Friday's demonstration, for those teachers who take part, will they be penalized in any way?"
Hon. Patrick Faber
"That's what I'm saying, the rules do tell us that where industrial action is invoked in that manner that the Ministry can make sure that any part of the day or the day that is taken that the payment for such days are taken out. And I'm saying that we intend to do that. And for those who say well, you’re giving permission to the women - you know, I just received a response to the Ministry's memo from the Union which they accuse me of giving permission to the schools to close. And while that is the case to an extent. I I want to be very clear. What has happened is the instruction coming from our ministry is that if schools determine that the participation on the part of the females is going to be such that it is going to cause an interruption in the service to students, then, we give them the permission to suspend classes. It did not say that everybody must close down school, and you must go to the rally. So, I wonder sometimes if they pay attention to what I'm saying, you know. But, that is where we are at, and if women are going to go to the rally, we have to be responsible. We have to make sure that we have safeguards in place to protect our children who will be attending school that day, if they are not going to attended to, then by all means, we can't - the responsible thing to do is to make the proper precautions to safeguard them from being hurt."
Today the Teachers Union sent out a defiant statement saying, quote, “We are very disappointed in this attempt to intimidate the teachers of this country…the ministry seems to operate with double standards.”
It adds that quote, “our peaceful demonstration and rally…will take place as planned.”
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