This is a hint of the can of worms that lies buried inside the files at the Lands Department. Now, even the PM admitted years ago that it is a hotbed of corruption, but now that bed is on fire, in public view. But, is that why the Prime Minister moved former minister Gaspar Vega after the last general election in November of last year? That's what we asked him yesterday:…
And while the PM didn't want to tackle that one head on, he also had to play it carefully with another question, this one about his sons - and whether they had benefitted from any kind of land deal:
And so now, while the land issue is looming, and the Prime Minister's Cabinet is going through serious changes, tonight at least he doesn't have the teachers strike to worry about. That ended today and teachers return to school tomorrow.
And while teachers are only too happy to finally get back to their classrooms, it also saves the Barrow administration from some political hemorrhaging which it can scarcely afford in the current political circumstances. Because by going to school tomorrow, it means the teachers will not lead another mass demonstration as they had planned to do this Wednesday. That's why PM Barrow moved up salary negotiations with the joints unions from Wednesday to yesterday. He agreed to defer teacher's salaries, and pay them 3% interest on the deferral when the payment comes due in the next fiscal year. He also agreed to legislation for insurance for teachers who are going to and from work. This is after a basket of concessions made last week on governance issues.
Of course, all this puts the very proud Prime Minister as a man lurching from one controversy to the next. Today it's his Cabinet where the minister of defense has been placed on a week's leave, and the Minister of Agriculture has resigned without replacement. Yesterday, Barrow said he has to confront scandals head on, no matter how much political and personal pain it causes:
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