The last of the Belize National Teachers Union (BNTU) nationwide rallies was held in the Toledo District today.

This morning, teachers from the Punta Gorda and Toledo Rural branches assembled at the Toledo Sports Complex before marching toward the Toledo Central Park, where there were a host of presentations from the BNTU Punta Gorda branch president, Hilton Garbutt, as well as Toledo Rural branch president Steven Cho, and the fiery BNTU national president Luke Palacio.  There was also a presentation by the Leader of the People’s National Party (PNP), Wil Maheia.

In his address, Palacio updated his membership on Thursday’s meeting with Prime Minister Dean Barrow.

In that meeting, seven union leaders from the Belize National Teacher’s Union, the Public Service Union (PSU), and the Association of Public Service Senior Managers (APSSM) sat with the Prime Minister, to discuss a projection on revenue collection and a floor for the salary adjustment which was promised to the teachers. The floor is defined as the minimum increase that Government can commit to.

According to Palacio, the PM indicated that a floor cannot be guaranteed and that the adjustment might be anywhere around 3.5%.

President Palacio, however, did not attend the meeting because he was at the Dangriga rally that took place that same day.

The respective unions will now meet to review this latest information, after which, we understand, it will be presented to their membership as early as next week.