St. Maarten Private Eye

From SMN News

Government Promised to Advance Payment to Month End

Philipsburg: -- Despite meeting with Commissioner of Education Sarah Wescot-Williams and finance commissioner Roy Marlin who promised the teachers that they would receive both the increase in the salary scales and the retroactive payments dating back to August 2007, by the end of this month, teachers decided they are not going back to work based on promises. Claire Elshot President of the Windward Island Teachers union said yesterday afternoon after meeting with her members that the teachers agreed unanimously that they will not return to work based on promises from the island government. She said that she is expecting the teachers from the Milton Pieter’s College to join the struggle today as they have already indicated if the monies were not on their account by 10 am today they would also down tools. MPC teachers made it clear that they were not willing to discuss anything with Government and that all they wanted are their monies that were promised to them on more than one occasion.

Several primary schools on St. Maarten were without teachers yesterday and many parents had to find alternative solutions for their children as teachers protest the non payment of their retroactive salary increases. The teachers began gathering at the WIFOL building as early as 7: am where they stood alongside the road waiting for someone to open the doors. While standing there they all signed in to show that they were part of the industrial action called by the union. Some of them had their eyes glued to the newspapers as they wait.

Commissioner Heyliger Speaks to Teachers

Teachers of St. Maarten Academy made sure they stayed in their classrooms as they were notified that both the increase in the salaries and retroactive payment was delayed and that they would be paid by month’s end. Even though they conveyed their solidarity to the union they said they were not willing to jump the gun especially knowing that some six teachers were sanctioned in 2004 when they participated in the three days information session called by the union. While teachers of the Methodist Agogic Center also stayed on their campuses because management of that school made sure they notified their teachers last week that they had submitted the necessary information to government and was now waiting for a response from the island Government regarding the increases. School Director Clifton Spring said he does not expect the teachers to leave their classrooms because the school board did all they had to do when it comes to supplying the information and updating their staff.
About 10:30am the teachers then drove their vehicles to the government administration building honking their horns and carrying placards expressing how disgusted they are with government whom they say should keep their promises. The group of teachers chanted and sang as the WITU board made their way to the meet with the Commissioner of Education. They chanted their patience has run out, live up to your promise, respect us so we can respect you, where is the money? We care, treat us fair, and too late to calculate. Among the teachers was Care and Artistic teacher Mr. Walker from the PSVE St. Maarten Academy who has been suspended from the school but is still being paid, expressing movements based on the chanting.

Commissioner of Education Sarah Wescot Williams Speaking to media yesterday

At the end of that meeting Commissioner of education Sarah Wescot Williams said that she invited several departments to see if they could advance the date of the payment from second week of March to the end of this month. ‘Public school teachers will see in their payroll at the end of this month the increase based on the salary scales as well as the retroactive payments, while the island government would inform all school boards of the decision taken, however I do not know if the school boards for government subsidized school would do this in one payment or if they would make two payments” she explained. Another thing they promised the union is that they will carbon copy all communication to the school boards to the union. Wescot- Williams said the payment this month end will be possible as long as they do not experience any glitches from now to then. Wescot Williams said that when she met with the union they had questions as to when these monies will be paid and they questioned how the teachers will be taxed including the 16.3% new allowances which have to be incorporated in salaries. She said these answers were provided to the union and government also apologized for the lack of communication both from government and the school boards. The education commissioner said she explained the union that they did everything humanly possible to meet the February 15 date but many school boards are responsible for not submitting the information on time which also required processing. Wescot Williams said that the increase in salaries including the retroactive payments will cost the island government some one million guilders and thus the departments who are handling this matter are making sure there are no mistakes. She said that the executive council also approved the increases and retroactive payments yesterday during the executive council meeting.

Councilman Frans Richardson

On site yesterday was council man Frans Richardson said that it’s sad to see teachers have to come to the point of demonstration even though they have been in discussions for a number of years with government. He said that he thinks that this is making history on St. Maarten with the amount of people who have to demonstrate to claim their rights. Richardson went on to say that when government makes promises they should be able to face the people to explain why they could not meet the target dates and not blame the civil servants as is the case with the teachers. Richardson said that the people elected the government and the demonstrations are a proof to show that they cannot govern properly and they simply do not care about the interest of the people.

He said this shows that the government does not have respect for its people and they are working without proper policies. In referring to the several statements made by Dutch Politicians concerning St. Maarten and the reason they gave concerning the island not achieving its separate status Richardson said that all the reports that are written against St. Maarten was done during the governing period of the democratic party. One of the things the national alliance intends to do is quiz the executive council about the WODC report which they have for several months now and did not refute. He said this will be tabled in Thursday’s Island council meeting. Government would have to say whether or not what is in the report concerning St. Maarten is true or not and if so why they have not contested these statements.

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