The Tribune

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Deputy Chief Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

FREE National Movement South Beach candidate Jeffrey Lloyd yesterday demanded an explanation from the government for failing to pay around 200 “supply” teachers across the country for the last several months.

This, the talk show host said, sends a clear message that the teachers “do not matter” to the Christie administration. He said the government was more concerned with “Christmas decorations” and Junkanoo Carnival, which he branded an “explicit dance party”.

Last week, Bahamas Union of Teachers (BUT) officials confirmed that about 160 supply teachers have not been paid for months. The supply teachers are mostly retirees who were re-engaged by the government because of shortages across the country, The Tribune was told.

A male teacher at a public institution, who did not want to be named, told The Tribune last week that his wife who is a supply teacher at another government school had not been paid for three months.

Mr Lloyd said he was saddened to learn of the situation as teachers formed the necessary foundation in our youth that becomes the bedrock of our society.

“Without the sacrifices of these men and women who left retirement to come back to a profession many have devoted their entire life to, many of our young people would be subject to impossible learning situations,” Mr Lloyd said in a press statement.

“How have we repaid them? We have shouted from the tops of our lungs that they simply do not matter. We have expressed to them that we care more about Christmas decorations, and explicit dance parties than we do about them.

“We have allowed them to be mistreated along with countless others by this worthless government, and I cry shame on the blaring silence from the ministers responsible for this blatant display of disrespect.”

He added: “The public demands to know why these educators have gone for months without payment, and the minister of education is once again silent when he should speak.

“It is my hope that with a new year, this government will at the very least do what is right and just by these educators, and ensure that they are paid.”

Education Minister Jerome Fitzgerald could not be reached for comment up to press time yesterday.

Last Thursday, Joan Knowles Turnquest, the acting president of the BUT, confirmed the problem, saying: “What would happen if the supply teachers say they won’t teach any more on top of the shortages we already have?”

Ms Turnquest said it is not just supply teachers who have not received salaries. Union dues have not been taken from the salaries of teachers and paid to the union as well, she said.

“Staff and officers of the union have not been paid,” she said last week. “We have called the prime minister countless times. We have called Simon Wilson (the financial secretary) countless times. Either they are ignoring us or they feel they don’t have to worry about people who are not being paid. We want them to pay the late fee for every worker who has not been paid and cannot pay their mortgage and is encountering the fees the bank is putting on us.”

Regarding supply teachers, one source within the BUT said last week: “A lady just quit in Inagua because they sent her there, promised her rent but didn’t pay for it.

“It is very unusual because the supply teachers are paid from a budget the director of education has, not from the Ministry of Education. This is the worst I’ve seen it. Also, there are teachers in the Family Islands who are afraid to face their landlords because government hasn’t sent them money. The supply teachers hired in August haven’t received their money since August. They call us every day to complain and unfortunately we don’t have the right to bargain for them because they don’t pay dues as they’re retirees.”

The source said education officials have blamed the problem on the Treasury Department.

In August, Mr Fitzgerald expressed concern over the “unexpected” applications for early retirement from more than 100 public school teachers this year.

He said 119 teachers applied for early retirement, which he said was a “big number” by the ministry’s standards.

He said at the time that the ministry would likely employ some 30 supply teachers to fill vacancies.