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And the teachers union has decided: the strike continues tomorrow.  Here’s what Luke Palacio explained to the media after discussing with the committee of management after meeting the Prime Minister:…

Reporter
"Are you guys going back to the classroom tomorrow? Do you continue with your strike action? Where do you stand as a union?"

Luke Palacio - National President - BNTU
"We continue our strike action tomorrow because we are not satisfied with the outcome of what has transpired."

Reporter
"Mr. Palacio what was different between this meeting and the last one two weeks ago?"

Luke Palacio - National President - BNTU
"What was different? The difference is it got worse because basically we thought that we would have made some movements today. There were certain issues that we thought we could have moved on to get the prime minister to agree but instead we see that it has gone in a different direction. Case in point we had ask for the removal of the minister of police Senator Hulse. At that meeting the prime minister had indicated to us that if indeed as an outcome of the investigation into the auditor general's special report that if a police investigation needed to be done, he would be prepared to revisit that particular demand. Today he had adamantly said that he's not going to remove Senator Hulse as minister of police despite what has happened."

Daniel Ortiz
"The prime minister in his briefing suggested that he basically has moved a great deal of effort and a great distance in trying to address the 8 demands and to hear you come out here now with the information that the strike continues some in the general public would think the BNTU is being stubborn to continue tomorrow how would you address that?"

Luke Palacio - National President - BNTU
"Well you believe who you want basically but the bottom line remains we have said that these are our demands. We believe that the prime minister could have done better and more importantly than that when we start to look at those individuals and those who might be saying that we are unreasonable they have their reasons for saying that simply because they are enjoying the sweets we are not enjoying."

Daniel Ortiz
"Sir at what point does the BNTU assess and say okay we've gone this far, this is becoming a battle for who is more stubborn to give ground. When do you all make that determination?"

Luke Palacio - National President - BNTU
"We determine that day by day."

So that’s the final decision – parents, keep your kids at home tomorrow, and on Monday when a demonstration is planned in Belmopan.  We’ll keep you posted.