In the sweltering sun of Kingstown, teachers fired under St Vincent and the Grenadines government vaccine mandate demanded their reinstatement.
The dismissed teachers marched in front of the Ministry of Education and the Service Commissions Department, chanting “No bait, reinstate” and “Reapply, no, reinstate, yes.”
Leader of the Opposition Dr Godwin Friday and other high-ranking Opposition members joined teachers on the picket line.
Speaking in Kingstown on Thursday, he called on the government to reinstate dismissed teachers saying they never left their jobs but were fired.
Friday has been consistent in calling for the teachers’ reinstatement.
The March and Picket are organized by St Vincent and Grenadines Teachers Union in response to the government’s request for teachers fired under the government vaccine mandate to reapply.
A press conference held by Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves on Tuesday revealed that 55 teachers had reapplied for jobs.
At the press conference, Gonsalves again encouraged teachers to ignore the union and reapply.
According to Oswald Robinson, president of the SVG teachers union, the picket and march were part of activities organized by the union to raise public awareness and mobilize solidarity with the workers, particularly teachers. The government violated the right to conscience of experienced, dedicated teachers here in St Vincent.
“More than 200 teachers decided not to take the vaccine, so the government deemed them to have resigned and abandoned their jobs”, Robinson told St Vincent Times
“We are calling on the authorities and soliciting the support of the general public to join us so that when school opens in September, the Government of Saint Vincent Grenadines will reinstate these teachers with all their benefits. This will ensure that the children of the nation can continue to receive quality education and quality teaching”.
Robinson said a trial will be held in late November or early December concerning the court matter.
