So, while the PUP was unimpressed with what they see as the Barrow Administration's misconceived strategy to address the crime problem, the Belize National Teachers Union takes issue with the fact that he re-appointed John Saldivar as the minister in charge of Police.
You'll remember that in their 11-day strike of October 2016, the BNTU listed, as one of their 8 demands to the Government, that an international investigation be conducted into the July 2016, beheading murder of Pastor Llewellyn Lucas.
Weeks after Pastor Lucas was killed, on August 1, 2016, Prime Minister Barrow removed the police ministry from Saldivar's portfolio in the wake of the public pressure surrounding the apparent association between Saldivar and William Danny Mason, the man believed to be the mastermind behind that crime.
Well, after this weekend's emergency cabinet meetings, the Prime Minister has returned the police ministry to Saldivar. Today, at a press conference of their own, the BNTU President said that initial reaction from the union's members indicate that the teachers see this as a step in the wrong direction:
Elena Smith, President, BNTU
"We have not had the chance to have a complete discussion on the matter but based on feedback that we are getting from our members, they are very disappointed that the fact that the Prime Minister has chosen to do a 360°, if you will, and to put back at the helm of this ministry, the ministry of national security, somebody who, we believe, was not doing the best in that position. And so, if I may, if as a teacher, let us say, you teach standard six for a number of years and every year your students fail PSE, why would I as a principal leave you with standard six to teach them another year when you have shown that you are not able to deal with that class and get them to another level? It makes no sense and it is the same thing with this. If you've been placed in that position, you have not made any changes that are good or that have seen any betterment for this country as it relates to crime and the actions of the police."
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