BASSETERRE St. Kitts 01ST November, 2014 - The St Kitts Teachers’ Union is deeply disappointed by what the Union views as a blatant misrepresentation about the Basseterre High School Issue by ZIZ Broadcasting. The SKTU views ZIZ’s slanted, tainted and biased reporting as alarming and very troubling. Democracy requires independent, impartial, and truthful journalism. We have noted sadly that ZIZ News items on the Basseterre High School’s struggle for a safe and healthy environment for both teachers and students have been twisted. We expect high level of journalism from our national broadcasting media. What we have found is that their news coverage on the issue is seriously broken and damaged to say the least. The St Kitts Teachers’ Union wishes to inform the general public that we are committed to reasonable and meaningful dialogue with the Ministries of Education and Health and other stakeholders to resolve this current impasse. ZIZ news report which was headlined “Teachers’ Union threatens government” is a gross misrepresentation of the reality. The St Kitts Teachers Union never issued any ultimatums to the Minister. The St Kitts Teachers’ Union updated the Minister of Education on the ongoing protest action of teachers and parents at the school. Such is required of the Union.
Additionally, the St Kitts Teachers’ Union refutes the ZIZ report stating “...teachers assigned to the Basseterre High School and the SKTU rejected six proposals made by the Ministry of Education...” The statement is a blatant misrepresentation and should never have been part of any attempted responsible reporting. We call on the Ministry of Education and ZIZ to tell the general public the six “proposals” that were made.
When the Minister of Education came to the BHS on Tuesday 28th October, 2014, he made it clear to the staff that he had come to inform them of an already established position adopted by his ministry.
Minister CartyNEVER sought to engage the staff in discussion on any “proposals”. The Minister then advised the teachers that all who reported sick, were on sick leave, and believed that the environment at Basseterre High School was a causative factor for their ailment WILL BE TRANSFERRED. He further advised the teachers that the Ministry of Education would try to facilitate teachers’ request for venue of new teaching assignments but there was no guarantee that the Ministry would be able to facilitate these requests. He further explained that teachers remaining at Basseterre High School would be required to “double up” or increase their sessions. He offered a position that the Ministry will pay extra to all teachers working 30 sessions and over per week. The assembly of BHS teachers viewed the Ministry’s position, as expressed by Minister Nigel Carty, as punitive and the offer of money for remaining in an unhealthy environment as insulting and a slap in our teachers’ faces.
Management and SKTU officials were surprised and shocked at this sudden turn of events considering that we were expecting to meet to engage in our usual Friday Stakeholders meeting. The Stakeholders present felt that something of this magnitude ought to have been put on the table at the Joint Stakeholders Meeting and not sprung upon the staff and management of the school at an emergency meeting summoned by the Ministry. As one would imagine, the Ministry’s position and Minister’s delivery only served to escalate already heightened tensions. This Stakeholders Meeting, which had been scheduled for Friday 31st October, the Minister of Education was ultimately postponed until the upcoming week. SKTU and the BHS management countered the Ministry’s position with a request to be moved out of the current BHS venue, intact as a unit, as was previously done in the final term of the 2013-2014 school year. They are adamant that the current location is making people ill. These are the facts! We call on ZIZ to correct the inaccuracies mentioned in their release and in the future to be more comprehensive in their reporting.
This most recent news item by ZIZ on the BHS issue coupled with recent verbal abuse heaped upon the President of the SKTU and the Principal of the Basseterre High School by one of its employees on a programme aired on ZIZ, begs the question, ‘what exactly is their motive?’. Is the intention of ZIZ really to give a balanced view on the Basseterre High School issue?
The St Kitts Teachers’ Union continues to work closely with the BHS Parents Teachers’ Association and BHS Management to resolve this matter with the Ministry of Education. The PTA and the SKTU will hold a Prayer Vigil to offer prayerful support to teachers and students, who have suffered greatly with such physical ailments such as but not limited to recurrent dizziness, painful rashes, and debilitating headaches. This vigil will be held on Monday 03rd November, 2014, at 6:30pm, on the grounds of the Old Girls’ School. Our teachers and students of the school that has returned the best CSEC results in the Federation in the June 2014 exams certainly deserve better than this!
CONTACT:- St Kitts Teachers’ Union Secretariat Chamber of Industry and Commerce Building Horsfords Road Fortlands Basseterre
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