But it seems there's more trouble ahead between the teacher's union and the Ministry. Next week Friday is Teachers day and this year teachers all over the country are expected to converge on the Belize City Civic centre for a national celebration. But the eager anticipation is slowly turning into grim foreboding. And the dispute is over dollars. The Teachers union is expected to put one-third of the money to cover the day's expense but they are saying that they just don't have the finances to cover their part. The Minister of Education said he is not very pleased about the situation.
Hon. Patrick Faber, Minister of Education, Youth, Sport, and Culture/Deputy Prime Minister
"This is not the first time that we have sought to have a national day and the BNTU has been in partnership on all of those occasions we have asked the BNTU to put a third of the expense of a National Teachers Day. Whereas in the past they may not have met the one third they certainly made some contribution. Now I am sure that all teachers out there who are members of the BNTU know of course the wider population knows that teachers pay a monthly contribution to the BNTU for BNTU to say we can contribute absolutely nothing which is what they have said. They have not said we cant meet one-third of the expense they have said they will give absolutely nothing, that is what I understand. It is unacceptable. When it is that it is not a national year for celebrating teacher's day they certainly have to contribute at the branch level or even at the school level or whatever other levels that celebrate teachers day. It can't be that they don't have any funds to contribute. We have to interpret that as a lack of willingness on the part of the BNTU to celebrate teachers in this country. I hope that their members do not allow that to slide."
Faber says he officially received the complaint in writing yesterday so now he will be making assessments to see if they will still be able to find the funds without the BNTU'S contribution.
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