As we reported at the top of the newscasts there were protest marches held countrywide today. In Belmopan and Dangriga, small crowds were reported, while in San Ignacio and Corozal there were moderate crowds, and in Orange Walk, they had more than even Belize City. We start our coverage in San Ignacio where Jules Vasquez found that the message is crystal clear: no taxation without reformation.
Jules Vasquez Reporting,
San Ignacio today witnessed the solidarity and strength of the teachers union as 200 teachers and about 50 supporters walked from Mopan Park through the center of the town, stopping traffic in the heart of San Ignacio. They carried strongly worded signs of protest, hoisting the Belize flag high and singing various solidarity songs.
[Demonstrators Singing 'Solidarity for Ever.']
And when not singing the song, they were shouting their demands, led by John Pinelo, the man who negotiated the collective bargaining agreement which government is now violating.
John Pinelo, Former BNTU President
"Everybody - no new taxes! No new taxes!"
And that message took the teeming crowd through narrow streets and over the Hawkesworth Bridge even as the message that "we shall not be moved" may have changed for some of the protestors.
Protestor Chanting: 'Musa is the problem he shall be removed. Musa is the problem he shall be removed.'
Curious tourists watched on as the thick crowd made its way back to the Mopan Park.
Carlos Pook, Teacher - Sacred Heart College
"The teachers and the unions don't want the increase in taxes."
Jules Vasquez,
I know that the BNTU President and General Secretary of the NTUCB George Frazer is saying that there may be a compromise with the government of Belize. Do you all accept this compromise to get the increment over 2 years and to talk about the reform proposals?
Carlos Pook,
"Well it is something which depends on the whole union, it is not only the officials. They can propose and the union accepts and it has to be something that is a compromise with the other three parties. Its not only the Teacher's Union, but PSU and senior managers also."
"The teachers need their 8 and 5%,that's one demand. And secondly, it is the taxes, no new taxes. And third it is they need political reform and political reform needs to happen even before they implement the taxes."
John Pinelo,
"Although they are saying that it will not be passed on to the consumers we know that is practically impossible. As a matter of fact if you listen to talk on radio, all the business people are saying that won't happen so I don't know who they are trying to fool. I would advise government to please listen to the people because we know we are talking sense and although they are trying to prove otherwise, we know we are right and we will stick to our guns to the last."
But how far away is the last? Today completes the 7th day that teachers are on strike countrywide. These teachers say they will not be back in the classroom until a just and honorable resolution is reached.
John Pinelo,
"Well I think is one of the times that we have stayed the longest. The last time we were on strike was in 1995. I remember we were on strike from Monday to Monday actually and by the weekend we had some positive response from government. It is our hope the government will listen to us because if they don't listen to us we intend to go to the extreme. Although they are trying to play wit people's mind in particular when it comes to the students, they are saying we don't care about the students, but it is for that reason we are here. We know that those children who are not born yet will have to pay for the debt and whatever government owes and whatever loans they have to get this year. I am indebted and so are my children, and my grandchildren so we have to take a stand."
Jules Vasquez,
Right now we are facing a 7 day closure of schools, this is the 7th day, how long can you all keep this up?
Teacher,
"Certainly and the teacher membership is down for it. They are actually saying we cannot pull down and we need to keep it up because we realize the union has the moral obligation has well to actually fight for the people. If no other institution is capable of doing that, the union has demonstrated quite comfortably and satisfactory that we can actually do that. So I believe we have earned that respect. We are not selfishly doing things for our own, we are actually bearing children in mind and the community at large as well."
And this weekend these teachers will have to decide between their responsibility to the community and their jobs. The Branch Secretary today read the proposal from the Prime Minister to the teachers including the idea to stage the promise increase over two years. They also heard his request for a resumption of normalcy.
Branch Secretary,
[Reading from PM's Letter] "'The past couple weeks have indeed been challenging for country and our people. What lies ahead is the hard work of restoring confidence and trust in each other.' I think they trust us, it is us who don't trust them.' The national interest now demands that we return to the work of building a better Belize for all our people.' Sincerely signed by the Honorable Prime Minister Said Musa."
They will vote on that tomorrow but if the President has any say, it will be blocked.
"I will suggest that I stick to my 8 and 5% and we are not going to move. We have already proven ourselves, we've stood up and we are in a position where we can demand. We did not create this situation therefore we are going to make our demands be heard."
And while San Ignacio had a crowd of about 250, there were an estimated 1,000 demonstrators who took to the streets of Orange Walk Town. And more than just size the O-W crowd had support from a wide cross-section of the community, not only teachers and unionists. Our Orange Walk affiliate, the Northern Cable Network provided these images and interviews.
Alfonso Noble Reporting,
This morning at 9:00, a sizeable crowd showed up at the Barracks in Orange Walk Town for a pre-demonstration rally. President of the local branch of the BNTU Julian Chan thanked the supporters drawn form a wide cross section of the community.
Julian Chan, BNTU Orange Walk President
"We have the business sector, we have parents, we have the community with us. We appreciate your support."
And not only were they there to support, they also vocalized - as in the case of the La Immaculada Credit Union Manager Yolanda Gomez speaking of the DFC.
Yolanda Gomez,
"We are asking for due diligence in regards to the Development Finance Corporation, a corporation that was once a vibrant and efficient government machinery promoting its very name, development. This organization has felt the wrath of abuse. Rather than employing responsible, efficient, and qualified general managers or chief executive officers, as they call it, to operate its business by acceptable business practices and ethics, it is being run by the whims and fancies of those in the governing power. DFC is now being liquidated; they call it restructuring. Belize Bank of course will be taking over only the loans that are properly secured, as would any other wise financial institution. So what will become of the remaining bad debts that were bad debts before they were even given? Of course these will have to be paid for by the government as these funds were borrowed by the government. As these funds will still be owed, the government must still pay for them. The question now is who will end up paying for these bad debts? Needless to say you and I most naturally."
And in the spirit of shared responsibility both for ruin and reform, a crowd of nearly one thousand including teachers public servants, private citizens, cane farmers and business owners marched through the main streets of the town led by a drumming troop. Orlando Burns is a local businessman.
Orlando Burns,
"We are fighting for everybody, even those that insist to stay in school. We are fighting for everybody because the taxes will affect everybody and we just hoping that this message is strong enough for the leaders of our country to listen to the people. It is not no longer about politics, stop playing politics and accusing people of being one side or the other side. This is about people."
And to show that solidarity, today a majority of businesses including Indian and Chinese merchants across orange walk town shut down in solidarity with the teachers and public servants. And not just shutting down, Burns says they are opening their wallets.
Orlando Burns,
"The business community had a meeting last night and we all agreed to shutdown a half-day today but we were prepared that if we need to close down for a week, we would do it. And we opened an account to show that we are serious and if the government does cut the teachers' salary, the business community will putting money into the account as of today."
A strong message, maybe the strongest - particularly from a town that is - or should be controlled by its four PUP area representatives and a PUP town council.
The shutdown of businesses in Orange Walk was only planned for today.
