The Beginning of the End!

By: Mike Rudon Jr.

Those teachers out there and those who have refused to see what we are saying are guilty of one of two things: one they are playing the fool because of politics because they have set up their operatives or two, they are ignorant in the true sense of the word ignorant; they don’t know any better. – Hon. Patrick Faber

It is highly likely that Dean Barrow is too deeply engrossed in lurid fantasies of his own greatness and brilliance to get the sense. His love of self is so firmly entrenched that he cannot grasp the fact that he is nothing but an empty barrel. The UDP cast of ministers and back-benchers, with the exception of a few like minister of education Patrick Faber, do not share Barrow’s absolute megalomania. For the most part, they’re just too stupid and uncaring to get the sense. They are so busy trying to handle portfolios for which they are not qualified while living the high life to which they are not accustomed that they are ignoring the writing on the wall. And make no mistake about it – the writing is on the wall, in bright glowing neon letters. On Friday, more than 1000 teachers stood in front of the National Assembly to draw notice to that writing. Neither huge egos nor miniscule intellects can shield the UDP from the truth – this is the beginning of the end of Dean Barrow’s one term administration.

On Friday, the issue was not about corporal punishment or lack thereof. One thousand teachers stood up to demand GOB’s respect, to demand that government desist from ignoring their voices; to demand that government treat them as partners in the education of the children and to demand that Dean Barrow and his cocky minister of education Patrick Faber ease up on the high handed behavior. The crowd would have been larger if so many teachers were not afraid of the victimization which has become a very real threat under the UDP. But in the end, GOB did as it wanted, as it intended to do all along. Completely disregarding the cries of the teachers, Barrow and the UDP passed the Education and Training Bill – end of story. Not only that, but Barrow sicced his dogs at WAVE radio on the teachers who dared to stand up for what they believed in. According to the UDP bunch, the teachers were all wrong, all ignorant, all too stupid and misguided because they refused to roll over and play dead on command.

Unfortunately, there is little or no sympathy for the union leaders, many of whom were content to jump hoops and fetch sticks at Dean Barrow’s command before elections. Those union leaders were compromised to the extent that they became weak and ineffectual, greedy and agenda driven. It is hard to muster feelings of compassion or even respect for those leaders who bowed to Barrow’s whims. It is no fault but their own that they were so swayed by Barrow’s brilliance that they forgot to sup with long spoons when dealing with the devil. They fed from his hand, the same hand that is slapping them silly today.

But this is not about the union leaders, but about Belizeans – the thousand plus teachers who stood in the sun for what they believed in and the thousands more who believe in the cause but are too afraid of victimization to stand on the front line. The casual and malicious disregard of the teachers of Belize will certainly come back to haunt the disrespectful prime minister and his disrespectful underling Patrick Faber. The straw that broke the camel’s back? Maybe! The final nail in the political coffins of the UDP…? Perhaps! Barrow and his goons have consistently ignored the cries of the people. Upon entering office, they immediately transferred hundreds of teachers out of sheer political malice, and then scratched their heads in confusion when the PSE results were the lowest ever. When the UDP kicked the unions to the curb in the Venezuala grant distribution, Barrow was not only acting out against two or three people; it was an act of betrayal of the thousands upon thousands of Belizeans who demanded transparency and accountability in the distribution of funds.

The airwaves continue to reverberate with the cries of teachers, caregivers and educators of our children, who feel that they have been wronged and excluded and completely disregarded in the passing of legislation which will affect their vocations. The reality is, though, that Dean Barrow and Patrick Faber really don’t give a damn. That much is clear from their continued ignoring of the teachers and from their arrogant presentations in the House of Representatives.

So what happens now, after more than 1000 teachers marched and Barrow and Faber spit in their faces? Will the union leaders fold as they have done so many times before, or will they be bolstered by the thousands of their members who are standing strong? One thing is certain – GOB doesn’t want to hear it. They have done their thing and that’s it, to hell with all the rest.

Just something to think about – Barrow and his crew have ignored the voices of Belizeans who disagree with their high handed decisions at every turn. They have done so since February of 2008 and show no sign of changing their modus operandi. Belizeans are at a tipping point, with the single biggest turnout of protesters last week. Will they up the intensity and continue to demand a say in the decisions that affect all of us, or wither away in silence. If it is second option, then Barrow and his goons will never stop doing what they want and only what they want, bar none. But if it is the first option, then for sure it is the beginning of the end. Only time will tell.

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