She's the UDP's candidate for Belmopan mayor and a career educator - but Jackie Burns stands to lose her career after the Ministry of Education said she can't get unpaid leave to campaign for Mayor. Now, Burns is a former Deputy Mayor and long time Belmopan City Councillor, but that was during UDP days.
Now that the PUP is in, the rules for this UDP candidate are being rigidly enforced. Burns had applied for leave without pay while campaigning, but one week ago that was denied. The letter from the MOE cites Rule 85 of the Education Rules - which has to do with teachers elected to office.
Well, today Burns appealed the denial noting that "under the very same rule 85- two of her former colleagues had applied for and received leave without pay to Campaign.Says, quote, "Seeing that precedence has already been set, I implore on the commission to kindly reconsider my application for Leave without pay."
Burns has told us that she will wait for her appeal to go before a tribunal for teachers, and she has no intention of resigning.
