As an expression of our disgust caused by the Alexandra dispute Barbados Underground will not update new blogs until strike action ends.
Education is regarded as a fundamental human right and the absence of 30 teachers from the classrooms of the Alexandra School for close to two weeks is a failure on the part of leadership of Barbados. The frightening reality that the ‘fracture’ has occurred in the education sector should place an accent on the gravamen of the challenge which confronts us.
Think on these things Barbados.
316 responses to ““If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything””
Are we not entitled to be concerned that a statement by a person at a meeting that he wanted the presence of his organisation placed on record could be interpreted to mean he wanted to record the meeting? Teachers of English certainly have their hands full in teaching COMPREHENSION.
It is amazing too how the most significant occurrence in this whole saga has been OVERLOOKED by commentators. THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION HAS OFFICIALLY CALLED BROOMES A LIAR IN RESPONSE TO HIS CLAIM THAT HE COMPLAINED IN JUNE 2011 THAT A TEACHER , MRS AMAIDA GREAVES , REFUSED TO TEACH A CLASS FOR ONE WHOLE TERM. The response of the CEO is that there is no such complaint within the Ministry of Education ; the first knowledge of any ALLEGED complaint was by the production of two UNSIGNED LETTERS on 9 January 2012.
The system of logging correspondence in government departments is well known and has been well established FROM TIME IMMEMORIAL ; we cannot go behind that system. However Broomes is entitled to expose any flaw which might have occurred in that system and prove to us all that he did as he alleged, HE DELIVERED / OR HAD HAND DELIVERED, the letters.
One very significant observation must be made in respect of the alleged letters; it is standard practice that official letters going forth from persons ALWAYS reflect who TYPED THOSE LETTERS; there always appears at the foot of the letter after the letter writer’s signature the initials of the typist. This is good office practice. I have examined those letters and there is no typist’s indication after the signature of Jeffrey D. Broomes . Does Mr Broomes have a secretary? Did he type those OFFICIAL LETTERS OF SUCH GREAT IMPORTANCE HIMSELF? So much for Broomes’ system of governance at The Alexandra School .
The ball however is firmly in Broomes’ court ; he must rebut the unmistakable imputatiom by the MOE that HE IS A LIAR. In the meantime I shall continue my watch.
It seem as if Ms Redman have forgotten the cause, the teachers have forgotten the cause, the parents don’t know the cause, the student care less about the cause and the public confuse and frustrated.
Is Miss Redman the new Prime Minister of Barbados the woman getting on like she answers to nobody and cares about nobody least of all the children of Alexandras.
Why is the cart allowed to drag the horse? why is maloney and clarke allowed to Be at these high level meetings .isn,t this a conflictwhen NUPW represent.broomes in an area that is not related to broomes having dispuute with his bosses is this what the labour unions have come to putting freindship agaunst the rules and regulation.aren.t labour unions tobe in solardarity.boy are we heading for arnarchy.
@David
“Bear in mind the BSTU has the BWU support however.”
Support for what exactly? can you tell from Sir Roy’s statement? Is it blanket support? I wonder what his vies on yesterday morning are.
w
@true to form
all my previous posts respond to your comments
Forgive my ignorance, BUT the CPO and Service Commission act based on recommendations (and documentation) from the relevant Ministry or Department. Hence, for the presence of the CPO to be demanded, indicates a lack of faith and confidence in the Minister and Ministry and organs fo justice. IF that truly were the case then the BSTU has grounds and should go for the jugular of the Ministry and Minister while on their quest for justice. Taking it to the CPO and making it ONLY about Broome was a mistake from day one. For a union to unilaterally take this issue to her (and demand an ultimatum..mind you), signals that all processes, procedures, avenues and alternatives HAVE FAILED, and if they have indeed failed, this issue is not about Broome but about our entire education, public and legal system. EREGO, the BSTU’s fight is with GOVERNMENT and the MINISTRY OF EDUCATION along with the STATUES AND LAWS that guide how we operate and settle disputes. To whittle it to one man while beating the chest (or breast) so powerfully indicates a level of incomprehension for the impact and effects of the actions that have been taken.
Cuddear, you really think any rational minded persons that had interaction wid Broome genuinely like he and would support he if it could be proven that he was wrong. stupse.
@Observing
If this matter has been simmering for 6 years is it reasonable to think that all avenues have been exhausted?
Is it also reasonable to believe that the BSTU is in possession of relevant information may not be appropriate for be aired in the public domain?
Blogger
You asked what I was doing at BSTU headquarters yesterday. The simple answer is: NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS. But I can tell you that the striking teachers are resolute in their position. It thrills my heart.
You also asked me to explain my position with respect to the Public Service Commission (PSC):
Before I do please allow me to explain to David that the teachers are not the Minister’s staff. He can neither legally hire or fire any of them. Each Minister only has two staff members, a personal assistant and a constituency assistant.
The PSC is the employer of the teachers, only that body has any authority to appoint and exercise disciplinary control over teachers. The conduit to the PSC is the Chief Personnel Officer, and that is where the BSTU took their matter which Maloney saw as disrespect for the lady. Just imagine that you have an employer; there is a dispute; and the employer is not involved in the resolution of that dispute. What utter madness! The Minister has a constitutional function to perform, so too does the Public Service Commission. Jones should stick to his role and allow the PSC to do theirs. I do not see the PSC going to Cabinet, but maybe they should cause they could not do a worse job.
Little Mary stood up to Jones and knock the DEMONS out of his tail.
People who make comments should realise that Mary Redman is not the BSTU. She might be the current face of the union, but she is just one of an executive. Do you think that Mary was speaking without the blessing of her executive? It is not that Mary is not backing down: it is the BSTU that is not backing down. Get it through your heads the BSTU is not a dictatorship.
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If we believe education is responsible for our advancements then surely we must accept that educators cannot be all stupid.
Here we have a body of educators speaking with one voice. Individually there may be some duds but collectively ….. no way they will be lacking the ability to think and act in the interest of this country.
Anyone thinking that insulting one person in the group will lead to some sort of resolution is in for a rude awakening.
Replace the minister, retire the principal and avoid whatever has not come out so far from coming out.
Whatever that may be it must be a real mess to justify the madness that is going on.
Get the teachers and children back where they belong, in the classroom.
These parties must put the CHILDREN first! They are the ones who will suffer. Please let us not turn this into a BLP / DLP debate because this has been occurring under 3 Prime Ministers – starting with Owen Arthur, the late David Thompson and now Freundel Stuart.
@David
“Is it also reasonable to believe that the BSTU is in possession of relevant information may not be appropriate for be aired in the public domain?”
I’m hard pressed to believe you believe this. Have you read all of the BSTU’s press releases, public statements, internal correspondence to stewards and rationales for their positions? Does this sound like an organisation that “possesses relevant information” that may put a nail in the coffin for their case or at the very least justify their extreme position(s)? Stupse.
As I said earlier, I am both impressed and in awe at whoever is the brains behind the lack of brains advancing what clearly is not a Broome or labour issue. Well done.
I cant wait until voting at the BUT. Karen BEST must go. Resign IMMEDIATELY. You do not have the interest of teachers at heart. You are only interested in becoming Deputy Chief Education Officer. Oh what a tangled web we weave.
@str8up i agree her silence is unusually deafening and 4 the past few weeks I have been trying to figure out why she has not been vocal…It all me k sense now.
While i may have tried to understand the teachers point before i am fed up with their lack of interest in the students well being they want the public to be smpathetic but they r not sympathetic to our kids who are the ones paying the ultimate price this should not about POLITICS OR POLITICAL GAIN
I am on the side of the children!
The games must stop! We are at a stalemate!
The PM must not allow this to continue! He must stop his usual “no action” and get into action. Make a decision one way or the other and let’s move on!
Inertia, slow or no reaction times or non-proactive practices and policies, poor leadership. This is how Barbados also got black-listed as a tax haven for corrupt money laundering companies and how oil firms left Barbados without exploration.
DLP – Dragging Lazy Party
@ David
Honestly…
Is Bushie’s steps looking more and more like the right solution by the hour…. ?
This was a nobrainer from the moment it became clear which side ac was on…..LOLOLOLOL
This is my last comment on this saga as it has gone on for so long that i am tired, weary and sleepy. Lets start talking about elections.
We hear on the news today the PM will be formally briefed this evening and he is ‘likely’ to make a statement.
Another day added to the dispute.
@Watching Carefully and Listening. | January 19, 2012 at 9:03 AM |
“One very significant observation must be made in respect of the alleged letters; it is standard practice that official letters going forth from persons ALWAYS reflect who TYPED THOSE LETTERS; there always appears at the foot of the letter after the letter writer’s signature the initials of the typist. This is good office practice.”
it might be good office practice BUT alot of time, this is NOT done. Also some people now, who have access to computer and internet, do not let not even their secretary type confidential letters. seeing no initial at the end of a letter is of very little significance. obviously you probably worked in government many years ago, certainly not recently or u would have been aware of that.
another thing too. Broomes is not a madman. he knows that any letter that was hand delivered WOULD LEAVE a paper trail. why? the messenger would walk with a correspondence book. the person receiving the letter would affixed his name and time next to the information in the book pertaining to the letter. i think the chief education officer will have a lot of questions to answer if broomes produces the book and the name of the officer who signed for the correspondence. y don’t u take a walk to the MOE and look into the registry. tell me, can anything be really found in there? i know of temporary staff who have to wait months to be paid because the MOE keeps loosing their correspondences and they continue loosing the same correspondence not just once, not just twice but more than that
Mr Jones reaction at the presence of Mr Phil Perry was intemperate, illogical and downright silly. How could he liken Mr Perry to one who had walked off the streets and have Mr Dennis Clarke in the meeting? Mr Clarke has no present official status in the NUPW ; he is on sick leave and his post has been filled by another. That person is the de facto General Secretary of the NUPW with ALL the rights and privileges accorded to that office. Mr Clarke could therefore have been justifiably regarded as the one who had walked off the street.
It is always a risky thing to speak in anger; Mr Jones was neither in control of his thoughts or his language.
@Caswell Franklyn | January 19, 2012 at 10:05 AM |
“Little Mary stood up to Jones and knock the DEMONS out of his tail.”
i’ve always respected u but what an utterly stupid statement to make in light of the fact that jones might have been aware that a warlock came here recruiting school children into the practice of witchcraft in order for them to recruit other children. he only stopped when it was discovered and he quickly left the island. y not call jones and asked him which school the warlock as at to see if ur child could have been exposed? stupeeeeessssssssssssssssss
Caswell’s position on this whole blog has been unfortunate. Mary may have been his school mate, but his usual logic and sound research have been for some reason missing on this blog…
oh well… Bushie warned him at the outset……
@Caswell,
You stated that “The PSC is the employer of the teachers, only that body has any authority to appoint and exercise disciplinary control over teachers”.
How is it then that the principal has been able to hire so many teachers, as has been alleged? What is the missing piece of the puzzle here?
Bush Tea
I don’t know who you are but I admire the tenacity with which you cling to your point even when you are wrong. Give it up man, Broomes has clearly over played his hand. He does not have right on his side, only connections and the purblind. I don’t know which category you are in but if that’s what make you happy.
Brutus
Good question. He should not be able to do so. In any event, those teachers allegedly hired by the Principal would be temporary. The striking teachers are permanently appointed to the Teaching Service, and they cannot be removed from the Teaching Service by any politician. The Constitution of Barbados has placed the power to deal with teachers in the hands of the Public Service Commission: not Jones or any Cabinet special committee. Politicians are not all powerful: there are limits to their power. The major problem in the governance of this country is that politicians do not respect the limits that have been placed on them. If politicians had not manoeuvred Broomes into the job of principal, none of this would be happening now. Politics of inclusion continues to haunt this country.
Thanks Caswell. This aspect needs to be explored further – I wonder how it is viewed by the Ministry.
When will Chairman Keith Simmons speak?
@Caswell or anyone else
Who are the members of the Public Service Commission? Do they do that work full time, or do they only meet periodically? Do they have staff? Who do they report to? How can we tell if they are doing a job?
Brutus
As far as I can remember the members of the Public Service Commission are:
Besley Maycock Chairman
Keith Symmons Deputy Chairman (also Chairman of Alexandra’s Board)
Everton Weekes
Calvin Springer
Marvo Manning
I do not remember if there are others.
They do not really report to anyone: the Governor-General is obliged to act on their recommendations. They meet on Mondays, but the Personnel Administration Division, headed by the Chief Personnel Officer, is really their secretariat.
You can tell that they are not functioning adequately by the number of persons that the politicians manage to get in the Public Service, and also by the fact that this Broomes issue has been allowed to fester for such a long time. I believe that the Public Service Commission has become an impotent rubber stamp.
@Caswell
Based on your most recent comments I can assume that (in your mind) the issue is not Broome (or even the current MEHR) and that the drama we’re seeing playing out is representative of a bigger picture and issues which the BSTU is unwilling or unable to state, hence in essence holding the country to ransom over simply a portion of what they lay claim to. It’s either that or they’re just plain ignorant of the bigger picture. Go figure.
@Bush
the woman looks like over seventy, yah telling mah she younger thanc dah, cah dear.
@Observer
the more the monkey climb, the higer he dose shaoe e tail and that is what happening to caswell.
He wanted to take the credit that he was the one who advised mary not to go to the meeting, but my insider tell me it was frost.
@Caswell
The the office of the CPO and Civil Service falls under the politcial purview of the PM. pick sense from nonsense.
The MEHR should accept the primary responsibility for allowing this situation to drag on so long. Even if they do not have a statutory responsibility to intervene in industrial relations issues, they should have, in the interest of the children, been actively involved, whether behind the scenes or not.
This matter cries out for urgent resolution. What is the role of the Labour Department and its officers? Is there a need for teachers to return to the classroom while this goes to arbitration?
Wait doesn’t NUPW headed by strong armed men Clarke and Maloney supposed to be on the side of labour, How come they are on the side of management?
@ ac
Correction you mean Sir Walter Raleigh and the one-foot swordsman.. (who should be on sick leave til May)..right ?,
Now tell me how two SICK men like these could be allow to be representative of NUPW..?..stupess.They both want bagging in a old onion bag and peltin to … .Oh I forget dem is Jeff and Jonesy drinking buddies who drawing. all D Civil servants union money. So them is” the untouchables”
ite, ite gotcha
@ ole onion bag
picture this you pay your dues to a Union thatr is supposed to represent you the employee against your employer and when the sh..it hits the fan the Union sides with the Employer.
Btw did anyone have the deceny to make a check in appointment for Jones at Jenkins. Is Jones the author of “How TO Fail Without Trying” He needs to write that Book just an idea Jones. or another one would be “Second Bananas don’tCount!
Quotes from the draft report compiled by a team assigned to to do an institutional investigation in 2011. It serves to provide a historical framework for the events of December 2, 2011 to present.
The Union at the meeting on 30th December, 2011 asked for copies of the report of the team that had conducted an inspection at the Alexandra School in late 2010, and which had been completed and handed over officially before the middle of 2011. The Union’s representative on the inspection team had never been given a copy of the final report. Moreover, the Principal had failed to make a copy of the report available to his staff, as was required and expected of him.
The Ministry of Education kept its promise and delivered two copies on 4th January, 2012. The Union quotes for your information from three of the recommendations:
“There is an urgent need to find some mechanisms and strategies to heal the rifts that are militating against the continued development of the school.” (Recommendation No 1)
“In the present atmosphere at the school, where the various divisions have taken seemingly immovable positions, it is difficult to see how there could be professional co-existence.” (Recommendation No 2)
“The problems at the Alexandra School are real and the need for corrective action is imperative.” (Recommendation No 3)
The above recommendations made in early 2011 have now to be seen in the context of the remarks of 2nd December, 2011. In addition, the Union must record for your information that the Ministry of Education has not seen it fit to meet the BSTU on any of the outstanding matters at the Alexandra School for almost a year.
It is not without significance to note that the Union has been given to understand that the authority for the person presently acting in the office of Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education will come to an end when the current acting holder of that office returns from vacation. This return to office is believed to take place on 16th January, 2012. The administrative implications of the foregoing will not escape anyone.
@ac
Broomes is not the employer of the teachers and therefore is entitled to representation.
@Asharte
Where can we get a copy of the report?
On 20 January 2012 00:44, David wrote: > @ac > > Broomes is not the employer of the teachers and therefore is entitled > to representation. >
Yes he is entitled to representation but those who represent him should only be doing so only if Broomes had grievances with his Employer and not the Union.
@Asharte
Ya mean even now the BSTU still struggling ta piece together pieces of documents and state known facts and events to justify their position and actions??? C’mon man, when ya go for the kill ya gotta know how it will end.
and the quotes which the BSTU have “cherry picked” speak only to the relationships among the staff…..For balance, go ask them about the parts of the report that they DON’T agree with….or better yet, bring all the recommendations that were suggested let’s have a discussion….
And what administrative implications what. More red herrings??
As I keep saying, can’t have cake and eat it too. Gotta choose man, gotta choose.
If some of you would shut up the stupid woman would think rationally, however, some of you are spurring her on and she’s making a fool if herself. I was in B’town today and I didn’t her ONE person speak good about her, those who claim they know her and those who do not know her. Her is now the MOST HATED persom in barbados right now.
@ Caswell
Tenacity is natural when one is correct.
Look, we have for years been flogging the education system of this country as outdated, inefficient, unproductive, misguided and inept. Why should we be surprised that someone who seems to be a nonconformist in this system is disliked? To Bushie, that is a plus for the man.
Do you care anything at all about PRODUCTIVITY Caswell? Or about discipline and teamwork? Should decisive leadership be selectively be restricted to prime ministers?
All right thinking Bajans who now see how these hot headed women behave to the PM, the panel of Ministers, the MOE etc can APPRECIATE what poor Mr Broome had to put up with trying to get some kind of PRODUCTIVITY at that school. NO wonder he HAD TO ACT TOUGH…..otherwise those women would have de- balled him long ago….LOL
No doubt if he made peace and let them do as they wish, he would be acceptable to you and to these uncompromising ‘teachers’.
You are definitely showing your slip here, Bush Tea fails to see any abhorent fault in Mr Broomes except that he puts on a tough act … and it is now EASY to see why he would have had to do so…and of course there is the fact that some people like you dislike his style and assertiveness/ aggression.
The real joke is that just like him, there are MANY persons who dislike you because of your own forthrightness and your often caustic tongue.
The only difference being that you have never accepted, or at least held for any time, serious management responsibilities…
…are you therefore saying that it is ok for you, Mary, Sir Roy etc to be assertive, frank and pushy as unionist – but that persons on the management side should be sissies and saps who never offend anyone? Stupsssss
@ Blogger
…looks may be deceptive. Stress tends to do that.
@ BushT
All right thinking Bajans who now see how these hot headed women behave to the PM, the panel of Ministers, the MOE etc can APPRECIATE what poor Mr Broome had to put up with trying to get some
THE DAY uncle JeFF goes stark raving mad …(soon) I hope e B U.
Cuz u just love the man den.
@ Scout
Mary got the whole BIM bambuzal with her crisp audacious PLAY..(ysterday) she out smart R.jones makin him look like a puppet.That was class .She disc NUPW et al…. Jeff was like a puppy.And all wanna lickin ur wounds tnite.
ADMIT IT that was a Classy play ! Frost like he still got fire.
The trump card aint even play yet so say tuned…
Ya ent see Freundel …sent his 3 wise mwn,,just in case…
The plot thickens and MARY shotting. Touche’
Now we are in the fourth quarter of this ball game Jones attempts to throw a pass to Broomesit is intercepted by Mary > Watch Mary run Touch DOWN.
@ old bag ( of onions)
Is there any particular reason that wanna wishing all these bad things for Broomes?
You wishing for him to go mad
Mary wants him separated
ac wants his balls…..
…someone even vex with his grand daughter LOL
You ever heard about loving even your enemies?
You ever heard that “he who diggeth a well shall fall in it….”
Bushie likes the idea that Broomes seems to talk about IMPROVING EDUCATION AT HIS SCHOOL and seems prepared to fight for that goal…
…all BT hearing from the teachers is that they want to be left in peace and comfort as they were before Broomes….having a ball
if the teachers were saying that they want to be able to do more for education and for the children it may be different with the bushman
@David
The draft report was submitted to Mr. Laurie King as soon as he was officially appointed his office as Chief Education Officer. BSTu has a copy as well.
@ Observing
The Lawyer employs evidence and case studies which advance his case. Similarly, the College student uses research pertinent to his or her thesis. Even the weakest argument can be won if facts are skilfully wielded. The findings of a neutral team should count for something. Many people castigated the teachers who went on strike from Louis Lynch. They were called hypochondriacs who were playing sick. They stuck to their guns. Go figure.
Some teachers will surely make a killing, giving those children from Alexandra extra lessons – sorry lessons because they not getting any right now.
I am wondering can a parent sue, the MOE for their children failing etc? I am wondering, since all do not learn at the same rate, and also children who go to church on saturday, would they get their lessons on sunday or loose out?
@AC
perhaps Broomes has scorned you and you now want his balls as it appears thats all you can get as you nolonger appeal to him.
@Blogger2012
your comments are so funny ! good for an early morning laugh! anyhow nah i don’t want his balls .i am waiting his head personnalydelivered to me by Mary Redman and her 30 disciples on a plateas proof positive he would no longer be around to throw this country and the school sytem into a state of anarchy ever again