Teachers’ Union Demands Payment of Monies Owed by Government

Meanwhile, the PSU is not the only union expressing discontent with the Government of Belize. Today, the President of the Belize National Teachers’ Union, Nadia Caliz, hosted a live on their Facebook page, expressing her displeasure over monies owed to their teachers by the government.

Nadia Caliz, President, Belize National Teachers Union: “Teachers not being paid from July, August, September, October.  We shouldn’t be having this issue at all. I do understand the whole maintenance process as a leader. My members have been educated on this, but the issue is still there. So, whether you understand maintenance or not, the issue is there. And for the BNU, this is the issue. They have worked the entire month. They’re entitled to their salary. Whether a deadline has been met, whether Management miss something, something has to be done. Something has to be done. Something has to be done. And because something has to be done, today, a couple minutes ago, we wrote to the Minister of Education, and we wrote the Prime Minister asking for a meeting on Monday, because my dear Honorable Johnny Briceno, the Prime Minister of this country, you are also the Minister of Finance. And this happens to be a financial issue, and it has been going on for years. and so we now need to sit and discuss because a solution definitely needs  to  come.  A workable solution, it needs to come.”

A distressed Caliz expressed the hardships some teachers are facing having to go without receiving their salaries for months. 

Nadia Caliz, President, Belize National Teachers Union: “I love my members and that’s why I’m here right now doing this live. The BNTU will have to act but kindly allow for us to go to the table. And after that, we formulate our plan of action. This will not a continue after this. In kriol,”deh wah have to come up wid someting weh di work” Because you know what hurts me right now? And I don’t even want to get into it because you hear, when I have members calling, telling me. And I don’t want to show my other side because I do feel for people, that they are going to lose their housing because for four months they haven’t been paid. A member last month was kicked out because she couldn’t pay. And then we just see the union coming forward saying certain things. But these people come to me and I’m human. And I sit in this position not because I am dying to be a president, but because I want to make a difference. And I’ve seen the abuse for years, for years, for years. And members, when you are afraid to come forward, because we are ready and willing, we are ready and willing to take this to court. And so you can’t always be standing behind a text message or calling on the phone and coming to meet me.  We want to black and white this and take this to court. So you are the ones right now holding back this court case. It hurts my heart, mein. I’m telling you, it hurts my heart. This stuff shouldn’t be happening in Belize anymore.”

Caliz also spoke of the continued practice by the government of deducting monies under “miscellaneous deductions” with no clear explanation. She is now demanding a formal explanation from the government regarding this practice.