SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - The Windward Islands Teachers' Union (WITU) has issued an urgent appeal to the Minister of Finance, Honorable Marinka Gumbs, addressing the ongoing disparity in financial benefits between civil servants and educators in subsidized schools.
The union highlights several critical issues in their appeal. Subsidized school teachers have not received the 1% lump sum payment distributed to civil servants in December 2023, nor the 2% indexation adjustment already received by their public school counterparts. Despite previous commitments, there has been no formal communication to school boards regarding the implementation and disbursement of these outstanding payments. This situation raises significant concerns about equitable treatment in future disbursements, despite assurances of secured benefits for 2025.
In response to these pressing matters, WITU is calling for immediate action from the Ministry, including:
- A clear timeline for disbursing overdue payments to subsidized school staff.
- Official written confirmation of instructions to school boards for prompt fund release.
- A firm commitment to ensure equal treatment of all educators in future financial allocations.
\"Our educators in subsidized schools deserve parity in compensation and benefits,\" stated a President Roxsana Pantophlet. \"Any continued disparity only serves to undermine the unity and morale of our educational workforce.\"
WITU emphasizes the critical nature of this issue and its impact on the education system of St. Maarten. The union stands ready to engage in constructive dialogue to expedite the resolution of this matter, ensuring fair and just treatment for all educators in St. Maarten.
The following press release came from the Board of the Windward Islands’ Teachers Union, Roxsana Pantophlet, President.
https://www.soualiganewsday.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=59102:witu-calls-for-urgent-action-on-equitable-compensation-for-subsidized-school-educators-and-staff&Itemid=450
