UDP Backs Up BNTU’s ‘Enough is Enough’

The United Democratic Party (UDP) is supporting the Belize National Teachers’’ Union (BNTU) against the Government of Belize. On Thursday, the BNTU blasted the Ministry of Education and other authorities over three months of unpaid increments and allowances. In its statement, the BNTU said teachers are still waiting on their rural hardship, commuting, and responsibility allowances.

BNTU Blasts M.O.E.: “Enough is Enough!”

Today, the UDP issued its own statement saying that the party “agrees with the BNTU that ‘enough is enough’—four years is enough time for the government to have ironed out recurrent challenges that lead to delay in payment of increments, rural hardship, community, and responsibility allowances.”

“Teachers were promised a twenty percent (20%) salary increase; instead, their salary was cut, their increment frozen, and thousands had their license revoked,” said the UDP. It added that, “Inflation the last four years has been backbreaking and higher than any period in the history of Belize.”

According to the UDP, “Like Prime Minister Briceno, the Governor of the Central Bank recently painted a glowing picture about the state of the economy. The UDP then questioned, “Why then has the government failed to deliver the bare minimum to teachers of Belize?” They pointed out that “not only have increments and allowances been withheld, but funding for training and scholarships to teachers has been cut while study leave with pay has been suspended.”

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On Friday, Belize’s Minister of Education, Francis Fonseca, addressed concerns from the Belize National Teachers’ Union (BNTU) about unpaid increments and allowances. He said, “This is a matter that goes back to 2018. Our government, our Ministry of Education, working along with the Treasury Department and the Accountant General, have brought all of that from 2018 up to 2023.” Fonseca added that MOE continues to resolve outstanding issues for 2023 and 2024. “BNTU knows this because we have the meetings with them to discuss this matter,” he said.

Education Minister Addresses BNTU’s Demand for Unpaid Allowances