FRIDAY, JANUARY 28,
2022
VOLUME 116, No.04
Cocaine dealer fined Page 4
www.thevincentian.com
McIntosh’s stamp Page 5
A wise woman Page 7
EC$1.50
Mia reduces Cabinet Page 15
Mason on murder charge Page 24
TEACHERS NOT GIVING UP alluded to suffering WEDNESDAY 9TH FEBRUARY is expected members of the to be a day of reckoning as it relates to profession are the impasse between the government of enduring as a St. Vincent and the Grenadines and the result of their St. Vincent and the Grenadines Teachers decision to Union. refrain from That is the day set for taking a vaccine. commencement of a hearing of a legal Even with the challenges in the high court, filed by situation before the Union, to seek judicial review of all the court, the wrong that teachers are facing as a Robinson is result of the Statutory Rules and adamant that Order (SR&O) in respect of the law should Government’s mandatory policy be repealed and regarding the COVID-19 vaccine. that teachers During a press conference last who have been Tuesday, Oswald Robinson, President dismissed, be Oswald Robinson, President of the SVGTU, assured that the Union Otto Sam, a former of the SVGTU, referred to the hearing reinstated with had no intention of giving up in its quest on behalf of dismissed President of the SVGTU, and confided that an executive all their teachers. called for a softening of committee meeting of the Union had benefits. hearts on the part of given the green light to continue the “We will not cited that “vaccination is not John noted that two government. battle. give up this salvation.” months had passed since the In that regard, Robinson spoke of fight until we He called for a Christ-like approach teachers who refused to be plans to file a constitutional motion. know we have achieved our goals,” the to the issue and suggested: “We must vaccinated have gone without pay. The Union President took issue with President promised. love one another.” He underlined the danger that the government on the matter of the He was supported by his Industrial Sam, who himself had successfully persons have been exposed to as a COVID-19 vaccine for teachers. He Relations Officer Andrew John. fought government on a wrongful consequence of their loss of earnings, dismissal matter, recalled that noting , among others, the nonTeachers were tear-gassed in 1975 for payment of mortgages, others bills, attempting to improve working children schools fees and other expenses, plus denied opportunities for conditions. He admitted that he would prefer tear gas any day rather than study and completing examinations. having to be dismissed. On the issue of completing courses He deemed the government’s action of study and examinations, John as “economic strangulation” and highlighted that some teachers who expressed the view that “he (Prime are doing their final year, whether at Minister Gonsalves) has it within him university or teachers college, have to rectify the situation.” been prevented from entering the The teachers were joined by respective institutions. President of the Public Service Union “So what you are seeing here is not Elroy Boucher. He noted that some just a matter of stopping a job, we are teachers who were attached to the St. halting the progress of our people,” Vincent and the Grenadines John added. Community College were left without Otto Sam, a former Teachers’ Union benefits, and that teachers who sought President, appearing in the role of a exemption on religious grounds were Junior Pastor, described the action told that suitable accommodation taken by the government as an error. (L-R): Andrew John - Industrial Relations Officer of the SVGTU, and Elroy could not be found. Sam appealed to the government to Boucher, President of the PSU, waded in with reference to the ‘suffering’ “climb down,” and “soften hearts,” and dismissed teachers have had to endure. Continued on Page 3. by WILLIAM KOJAH ANTHONY