Of course, Alfonso Noble remains on the scene and we'll keep monitoring that situation throughout the newscast. But next we take you to the event that laid the scene for that showdown. This morning the Trade Union Congress held a rally in Benque Viejo Town. A crowd of about 400 teachers, public servants, water service workers union and communication workers from Belize City, Belmopan, San Ignacio and Benque Viejo gathered in Coronation Park for a rally. The crowd comprised mostly of teachers who are facing a pay cut for missing work were defiant, determined and spirited. We spoke to the union leaders who continue to lead a strike that has not immobilized schools or the public service but, who, despite that failure, remain optimistic.
Alfonso Noble,
Is this a booster for you all to gather all the people you got and put them in one place?
Anthony Fuentes, BNTU President
"Well definitely. As you all know the Teacher's Union declared that we are on strike as from Saturday when we had our final council meeting and so in order to show that support and solidarity we decided to come out to Benque."
Alfonso Noble,
The government maintains that your strike is illegal and teachers might be their pay docked. How long are you willing to sacrifice that?
Anthony Fuentes,
"Well yes I've heard those are threats that the government is using in order to intimidate our teachers. But as you have seen out here our teachers are standing up and showing government that they are not satisfied and they needs to come a time whereby government will need to listen to the cries of the people. Its not only the teachers that are not satisfied, there are other interest groups out there who are not satisfied as to what is happening in our country right. And so we are showing dissatisfaction by going on strike. Reference the salaries if you recall the first strike we went on the teachers did get their full salary but the teachers are saying if they dock their pay, they do not mind because they are standing up for Belize."
Alfonso Noble,
How long will you be maintaining your strike?
Anthony Fuentes,
"Well it's the Council of Management of the BNTU that will decide how long we will continue this strike. But as it is right now it is indefinite."
Jules Vasquez,
Is the strike fizzing out because schools remain open?
Anthony Fuentes,
"Well as you know this morning the water went off and probably that will get the teachers to come out and support the strike action because students cannot stay in the schools if there is no water."
Dylan Reneau, PSU President
"This is a boost. I guess what Belizean have to understand is that there are people out resisting. There are people still ensuring that this movement and we are very serious about it and I guess the Prime Minister they try to use the tactics of intimidation. We saw a lot of the CIB agents out here."
Alfonso Noble,
Dylan of all the unions I think the PSU seems to be the weakest. I know you all had led a great challenge a couple months ago but it seems your union has not been able to solidify your people.
Dylan Reneau,
"Sometimes when the calvary comes then we really and truly understand how strong the union is and the calvary is waiting for the right time and when they come, the politicians will run."
At the end of the rally, the emcee on the public address system encouraged the teachers to attend the Prime Minister's session with the UB students in the afternoon. And we just showed you what happened with that plan. Later we'll have excerpts from that meeting, as the UB students were none too kind with the Prime Minister.
