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Here's what the treasurer of the BNTU Stann Creek Branch, who the Deputy Prime Minister focused on yesterday, had to say about what her members deal with on a daily basis during the school days:

Nadia Caliz, Treasurer - BNTU Stann Creek
"The input from teachers is not there. If you look at the process right now when it comes to finalizing this list, in out didn't come from these teachers. A few teachers got the opportunity to weigh in with the areas, the president would touch base with our president to find certain things. Other than that you are talking about finalizing a list when the people who the list is going to affect they never checked anything. They didn't go on the ground to see of the formula they created would work. On paper everything looked beautiful, but in reality when it comes to the Stann Creek District it's nothing like that. Left our rural teachers in the Stann Creek District and I'm going to talk about the south first. They get up at about 3:30am, prepare a meal for their children. Most of them are single parents. The older child takes care of the others. They go out to the road side to catch a 5:30am bus to go down south. They offered special classes to those students. They spend their lunch period supervising and so forth. They leave around 4pm. They get to Dangriga 5:30-6:00pm. Which bank is open when you leave at 5:30 in the morning? Which back is opened when you returned at 5:30pm. None. So it's not a true picture. The reality versus the formula is not connecting at all. Talking about transportation for Stann Creek teachers and I want to give history again. I taught in the rural Stann Creek, so I am very passionate about what is going on there, because I know what my teachers are going through, because I went through it. I had to hitch hike going in. I lived in the village after a while. I was never given hardship allowance, never given commuting allowance - nothing. I had to put all of that. Hitch hike at the back of orange trucks, possesses passes you overload, because transportation was really out. Because one would passed around 12 and the other would be at 3:30. After that you are on your own and the day ends at 3:30. So you have to find your way there. Today it's slightly different."

Following up after Caliz was President of the BNTU's Toledo Rural Branch, and he said that the teachers who work in the rural village of the country's southernmost district, have a very tough time to do their jobs. He added that in some instances, the hardship allowances don't even fully cover the commuting costs that these teachers face:

Anthony Fuentes, President - BNTU Toledo Rural
"The hardship is an agreement that the BNTU fought for. We fought for this in our collective bargaining agreement. An agreement means that both of us agree. BNTU is keeping its part of agreement, but the ministry, the government doesn't want to keep its part of the bargain. Fellow Belizeans, I did my homework and I found out that a minister receives $90,000 for his/her salary. They received $10,000 for fuel, food and phone. They received an additional $10,000 in their vehicle is damaged. They received $7,000 for their constituency and they received $1,000 if they are head of one of the House committee. So overall you will notice that a minister receives $120,000 plus and here we are fellow Belizeans for a mere $200 for a school in category 1. $120 for category 2 and $100 for category 3. What a shame."

'Where I am presently teaching at St. John the Baptist RC School in Conejo Village, we wake up at 5am to prepare. We catch our bus at 6am and go to Conejo. Because of the terrible conditions of the road we will reach Conejo at 7:30am. One hour and a half from Punta Gorda Town to Conejo Village. Every day cold breakfast and cold lunch at 12. Yet still they want to take away our mere $200. Imagine what has this country become. I got a letter from teachers in San Marcus. San Marcus is a village in the Toledo District and San Marcus was in category 1. San Marcus receives $200 and the expenses to reach San Marcus is $280. So the teachers have to pay the extra $80, based on the $200 that they are getting."

Today, the Ministry of Education sent out a press release to follow up on this topic.

The release says the Ministry has invited the BNTU to discuss its specific concerns.

And the press release makes a small concession to teachers being affected by this change, adding, quote, "The Ministry understands that the short notice…could have caused challenges for some teachers...To this end, the teachers at schools that were previously approved time off for payday...(and) choose to take that time on Friday September 28th 2018 will be left so to do. However, following this upcoming period of review, the list will be finalized and published for implementation in October." End quote.