Prime Minister, Dr. the Right Honourable Keith Mitchell has expressed\u00a0 concern for the well-being of the nation\u2019s students who were left unsupervised when some\u00a0 teachers were engaged in protest action.<\/p>\n
In the continuing clamour for the immediate payment of the 4% salary increase due to\u00a0 them and other public officers for 2021, some teachers engaged in a sick-out this week,\u00a0 leaving students in an unsupervised environment and forcing parents to make hasty\u00a0 arrangements for pick-up.<\/p>\n
Speaking to members of the media on Thursday, during his latest media engagement,\u00a0 Dr. Mitchell said, while he has no issue with the teachers seeking their increases, the\u00a0 approach being taken, could have serious repercussions.<\/p>\n
The Prime Minister said, \u201cI don\u2019t believe any serious person, who is concerned about our\u00a0 children\u2019s welfare, would want to create a situation where our students will be unsupervised and can become victims of their circumstances.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said it is alarming that the teachers received instructions from their leadership, not to\u00a0 tell students that there would be a sick-out. \u201cIn other words, let the students come to\u00a0 school and then tell them they have to go home at midday. You and I know, that has\u00a0 consequences. The parents may have gone to work and that child may be left unattended.\u00a0 You know the society we are in, there are pedophiles out there and young children may\u00a0 find themselves in compromising positions; that\u2019s a problem, no parental supervision, no\u00a0 guidance, anything can happen,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The Prime Minister shared a story related to him by a grand-parent, whose young grand child walked home alone from school and waited alone at home until an adult arrived.<\/p>\n
That, according to the Prime Minister, is frightening and he issued an appeal to teachers\u00a0 and their union leadership. \u201cI am therefore calling on the leadership of the Grenada Union\u00a0 of Teachers to have a sense of fairness and concern for the welfare of the students.\u00a0 Government does not have a problem with your demand for your 4% increase, it is your\u00a0 right, but we must also be concerned about the well-being of our children. Leadership\u00a0 should not lead us into doing something irresponsible,\u201d he said to members of the media.<\/p>\n
The Prime Minister added that this call should not only come from him but from every\u00a0 parent and every community leader who should be similarly concerned. \u201cI ask where are the voices of the churches in that respect. We are not talking about the 4%, we are not\u00a0 asking anyone to get involved in political issues. What we are talking about is the welfare\u00a0 of our children and the stability of our education system. We are ready to meet with\u00a0 interested parties who are concerned to determine how we go forward,\u201d Dr. Mitchell\u00a0 stated.<\/p>\n
The Prime Minister has reiterated Government\u2019s commitment to honour its obligation to\u00a0 pay the 4% increase, but he said it must be done at a time when the revenue earnings\u00a0 can facilitate the increased public sector wage bill.<\/p>\n
Government remains committed to meeting with the trade unions quarterly, to review the\u00a0 country\u2019s fiscal situation to collectively determine when the level of revenue collection can\u00a0 accommodate the salary increases.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister stated that there is absolutely no comparison between Government\u2019s inability to pay the 4% increase to public officers now, and the country\u2019s\u00a0 contribution of $1 million to the Government and people of St. Vincent and the\u00a0 Grenadines, following the eruption of the La Soufriere volcano.<\/p>\n
He said, \u201cSome people are saying if you can find $1 million to give to St. Vincent, you can\u00a0 find a million every month to give public officers. It is unfortunate that anyone would use\u00a0 help for our brothers and sisters in St. Vincent, who are in desperate shape, as a basis to\u00a0 support the claim for public officers to get the increase at this time. When we were flat on\u00a0 the ground after Hurricane Ivan, they had their own troubles; the Government there had\u00a0 increases that they wanted to give their own public servants, but they gave to Grenada. I\u00a0 remember too, St. Vincent and all the other OECS countries pooling their resources\u00a0 together to make Grenada\u2019s contribution to the OECS Secretariat; that\u2019s almost $2 million\u00a0 per year and they collectively took up the slack. They all made a direct financial\u00a0 contribution; it is our time now to return the favour.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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