Teachers’ Union President, speak or remain silent!

03.JUNE.11

Editor: I wish to make a few comments on your Midweek edition and specifically on the caption “Clarke – Union doing all it can to have teachers re-employed”.{{more}}

I note with interest the president of the teachers’ union – our union, breaking his silence and still being silent.

First of all, it is good that the president has finally mustered some courage to speak publicly on the issue. However, what did he say? He said ‘that the Collective Agreement cannot stand’. He said that the Public Service Commission said there is no vacancy. He also said that those criticizing the Union’s leadership lack of courage/strength on the issue signed the agreement in 2005 with the ‘flaws’.

Editor, in my view, the president spoke and still remained silent. He failed to intelligently critique the Service Commission’s ‘position’ – and is mortally afraid to critique government’s attitude towards the Collective Agreement and the reinstatement of the teachers. Government, just two weeks ago, supported the reinstatement of three policemen who were convicted and charged by the Court. But my President must be so politically correct that he must not go there! Searchlight’s editorial fearlessly and intelligently dealt with it. Most commentators cried shame at government’s and prime minister’s non-opposition to having these men stay as police, while they give the teachers a different treatment, but our president dare not speak!

He rubbished our critique of his near in-action. However, he doesn’t rubbish the rubbish – Service Commissions’ position on ‘vacancy’ and posts. All of the posts are still available. Even, as he gave us ‘sound’ legal advice that the Collective Agreement ‘cannot stand’. He sounds like Astaphan!

Important also, President Clarke chided those who signed the agreement in 2005, being fully aware that it was in contravention of the Constitution. I fully agree that there should have been another Article to counter aspects of 26D of the Constitution. However, may I tell Bro Clarke that three of those persons are: Attorney General Judith Jones Morgan; Minister of Education, Honourable Clayton Burgin, and Dr Honourable Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Did they really not know what they signed? That is why the president needs to stop his foolishness and test the issue in the Court!

I also need to remind the brother that Article 16 stood before the 2005 Collective Agreement. There is no ‘mess’. The only mess is the behaviour of the Union’s president and leadership to stand up and defend the agreement.

The Commissioner of Police stood up and defended reinstating three criminals in an institution that does not hire anyone with a criminal record. Please stand, sir, break your silence and speak like PMC, The News, Searchlight, and others.

Finally, when one reads all that the President said or didn’t say, you would think for sure that he is the Prime Minister’s Press Secretary or Tony Astaphan, government’s legal advisor and ULP’s aid. Come on, my president, you took six months to ‘speak’ and still remained silent!



Otto Sam