The other issue that took center stage today was the statement on the Teacher’s Rallies made by minister of Education Patrick Faber.  He opened the meeting with a 40 minute statement explaining why the Teacher’s should not cancel school for rallies:

Hon. Patrick Faber - Minister of Education
"In Orange Walk, the rallies got started at around 9 with the parade and so on, and by midday, everything was locked down, you know, and teachers were all over doing business. And so, the entire afternoon was wasted, Mr. Speaker. In Corozal, the rally was held in the afternoon, and so, the entire morning was wasted, if anybody doubts that look at what happened in Belize City, where the rally got finished by 12 o'clock, and the entire afternoon was lost. What prevents them, Mr. Speaker, from having these rallies - there is one scheduled for this Friday, I am told, in Cayo - what prevents them from starting that rally at 2 o'clock, and dismissing school at 1 o'clock, if we are really concerned about the students. In Belize City, Belize District Mr. Speaker, where there are 1,700 teachers, they could have only mustered 400 or 500 to go to the rally? That means that 1,200 teachers, Mr. Speaker, did not go, and I don't want credit for all of them who didn't go. We'll take 500 out of that; 500 did not go because they knew the benefits that they have received under this administration. So, the rallies continue. I make the appeal for teachers not to go; I make the appeal to teachers to go to their classrooms. So, I make the appeal to them to be reasonable, Mr. Speaker, to be reasonable and to get back to work. Next week Friday, it's pay day, and if teachers in the Stann Creek District are famous for breaching the policy; many of them, breaching the policy of the Ministry when they know that they should not be taking that time off. So, pay day for them is Friday, and it's already a holiday, even though the Ministry says it shouldn't happen. We will be cracking down on that. But, so because they already get that day off normally - yes, because it's wrong; the children deserve the best. The children deserve maximum hours in the classroom, especially in light of the fact that we're not doing well on these examinations. Well, they've decided that they will not have the rally on Friday, because they would already gotten that off, and of course, that would have been an inconvenience to them because it's payday. So, they will do the rally on Thursday." 

And as if taking on the teachers wasn’t enough, Faber also had some choice words for the Chamber of Commerce.  As we’ve reported, that group issued an unexpected statement last week saying that it quote, “supports the Teachers in their demand for a wage adjustment that better reflects the increased cost of living experienced by all Belizeans…” End quote.

Well, today, Faber gave them a piece of his mind about that kind of glib support showing:

Hon. Patrick Faber
"The Chamber, Mr. Speaker, put out a release that I don't understand. I think it baffles me. They're saying that the teachers deserve a raise, and they support the teachers getting a raise. I find it strange that they would say to the Government that you can give this raise if better manage yourself, and if you give the raise because there is this cost-of-living adjustment that is needed. Give the raise. Well, Mr. Speaker, if they are going to ask for a raise for the public servants, I am going to ask for a raise for the private sector, all the workers who work out there, Mr. Speaker. If they think that the Government can afford a raise for the public servants, then why is it that they can't afford to raise the minimum wage, and raise the salaries of all the other Belizeans who are not working in the public sector. Let's have that discussion. But you see, Mr. Speaker, they don't want to have that discussion. When we have that discussion, there will be problems. They don't want these people to get a raise. Well, if there is such a cost-of-living adjustment that's needed, give those people a raise too. Let's talk about how we can raise the minimum wage, and even if you don't raise your minimum wage, get your businesses to hike up the pay these individuals. And I am saying, that if they are serious about giving the people a break, they will be riding those merchants who come under their watch, even if they are members or not. I don't see them championing the cause of taking down the price of goods. And we know Mr. Speaker. I am going to go out on a limb to say that the merchants of this country, some of them are good, but a lot of them continue to fleece the Belizean nation by charging a whole of fees and so on on the goods." 

And while Faber told them, the PM was contending with the President of the Teachers Union.  As we’ve reported the whole rally movement got its first push when the prime minister said that the salary adjustment would be paid in August 2014.  They said July 2014 not August was the agreed date and publicly fumed over the alleged change in date.  By news time the PM admitted he’d made a mistake.  But today he told the press he knew, by way of a special branch report that this was an issue with the teachers, and he tried to call Teachers’ Union President Luke Palacio to make the correction before the January second press conference, but he couldn’t get him:…

Prime Minister Dean Barrow - Prime Minister of Belize
"I called for Luke Palacio certainly an hour before that to say to him, look, I've seen - this is an honest mistake. I didn't get him, and then, when I called again, I left a voicemail, not saying that I am calling for you. I am calling for you, sir, to make clear that when I said August in the New Year’s Message, I misspoke. It is July, the records are quite clear, and July it will be. I believe he may have confessed to having gotten the voicemail, but he didn't say if the voicemail clarified, if he wanted clarification, the fact that this was an honest mistake. So, I have to say that there is a degree of bad faith on his part to use that an excuse. Now when they don't have ball, they only look on eyeball. But remember the old saw, whenever somebody says that it's not about the money, it's about the money." 

The teachers union will hold its next rally on Friday in the Cayo District.