Marion Ali, Reporting
This was the tone set sometime after nine this morning when members of the Belize National Teachers Union’s filed into the Battlefield Park in downtown Belize City, for the third in a series of weekly rallies to amplify its demand of the Government. The teachers, led by their National President, Luke Palacio, want their salary adjustment, which they say has not been upgraded since 2005. By our own estimate, the assembly numbered between five and 600 at its peak of a total of 720 members, inclusive of retired teachers, in Belize City. It was a turnout with which Palacio said he was pleased.
LUKE PALACIO, President, BNTU
“The majority of our membership is out here and again, like we said, those who are not out here would be the ones who would answer why they are not out here. We’ve only had two rallies so far, the one in Orange Walk and the one in Corozal and we are satisfied with the turnout.”
While that was the picture in Belize City today, in the other districts, the eye-catching green T-shirts marked, “Teachers Got Yoh Back”, were also a part of the day’s activities.
LUKE PALACIO, President, BNTU
“What we do with these rallies is we go out district by district and we ask the other branches in solidarity with the district or the branch that is having the rally to put on their green shirt to go to work.”
The salary adjustment, when calculated, according to BNTU Negotiator, George Frazer, is something that the Government can easily afford to meet.
GEORGE FRAZER, Negotiator, BNTU
The Financial Secretary is saying one percent raise will cost five and a half million to six million dollars and that is a lie. One percent raise will cost a little over three million dollars and they are telling us and the Prime Minister keeps repeating that things are moving, things are rolling; they, themselves, have told us they’re in negotiation when they took over the shipping registry, IMMARBE, that every month they are collecting four million dollars – half of that (two million) should go toward salary adjustment, so they would have at least seven months.”
While the rallies are held to keep the momentum going and the issue fresh, Palacio adds that the negotiations for the adjustment are expected to progress on a parallel plane.
LUKE PALACIO, President, BNTU
We have never said that there is a breakdown in negotiations. What we have said is that the negotiations are dragging out; we have written to the lead person or the chairperson of the negotiations committee that we needed to resume these negotiations and that was agreed to happen on the 29th of January.”
The next rally is scheduled for next Friday in San Ignacio Town.
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