Politicians must learn to speak the truth to the people in the people’s parliament. Truth is not determined by the loudness of your mouth and how much you can ‘pamperset’. It is not the forcefulness of your voice and how much your speech can spur on others to bang on a desk. Neither is it determined by how irate you are. The real strength of an argument is found in the truthfulness of the presentation.
Curtis King, Minister of education chose to alienate himself from the truth when he made his presentation last Wednesday in parliament. He stated that teachers who reapplied and have returned to the classroom “have not lost any benefits.” What makes the minister think he could present such unsubstantiated claim for Vincentians to swallow? Where is your conscience, Mr. Minister? Over 500 hundred teachers and public servants were fired under the government’ unscientific ‘vaccine’ mandate of November 2021. Over three years have passed, and we are still under the oppressive hands of the Ralph Gonsalves-led administration. Some teachers admit that the economic hardships have forced them to reapply. They have reapplied and were appointed afresh, without any compensation or benefits for the years of service before dismissal.
The minister also had the gall to tell us that we must ask some of the teachers. I asked and I have at least two copies of the letter. Among other generic details, the appointment letter from a teacher who reapplied in 2023 states “…the Public Service Commission has granted approval for your appointment to a post of teacher V…with effect from…2023.” Another letter says “…the Public Service Commission has granted approval for your appointment to a post of teacher III…with effect from…2023.” Absolutely nothing in those letters affirm that the educators will receive benefits for the ‘donkey’ years of service before appointment dates in 2023. Neither were they given any other documentation indicating such. So, what is the Minister talking about? Was discrimination practised by the Public Service Commissions? Do some appointment letters show that certain teachers will receive their benefits while others will not? Vincentians know the difference between rehire and reinstate, sir.
The minister and his PM constantly insult workers’ intelligence by saying that we have nothing to lose by reapplying. Why don’t you tell your PM to do the right thing, Mr. King? Reinstate the workers with all benefits. Since March 2023, the court justly instructed the government to fully compensate the unlawfully dismissed workers. We did not abandon our jobs, and we had no obligation to comply to the illegal mandate. In March 2023, Justice Esco Henry ruled that the mandate was “unlawful, unconstitutional, ultra vires, disproportionate and tainted by procedural impropriety.”
Their callous disregard for our God-given liberty of conscience must not be tolerated. Why should teachers “come back to papa” when the Ralph-led government is guilty of blatantly violating our constitutional rights? Do they want us to agree with their deceitful and nonsensical redefinition of abandonment? These men were hired to be servants of the people, not to be dictators on high horses. Other wicked politicians could be seen banging the desk in parliament when Curtis King was spewing his falsehood. Minister of health, Jimmy Prince was among them. The adage is true that “birds of a feather flock together.” About nine months ago, Prince declared in the parliament that his government “has never terminated anybody.”
Not only is it an ear sore to listen to them, but it is painful to behold the arrogance of these politicians in the face of damning worldwide evidence of the unconstitutionality of their wicked mandate. Both public and private sector workers are being compensated. The newly inaugurated USA President, declared on Monday that all military personnel, unjustly fired under the ‘vaccine’ mandate, will be reinstated this week “with full back pay”. Last November, a woman from Michigan who was fired for refusing the COVID injection, was awarded more than 12 million dollars in damages. She was working with an insurance company who denied her religious exemption although the company had medical and religious exemptions as part of its mandate policy. The lady was an IT specialist whose work was entirely remote during the so-called pandemic. Her case is quite like my husband’s. He was lecturing online from home, when the St. Vincent Community College turned down his request for exemption and required him to be jabbed or lose his job. Then, they constructively dismissed him. It sickens my stomach to even recall that irrational and illegal demand. Moreover, it is wickedness to coerce workers to take an unsafe and ineffective injection.
The ULP politicians are not fit for office. They have lost every sense of care for the people and people’s natural rights. “Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness which they have prescribed” Isaiah 10:1. Instead of humbling themselves and apologising to the people for the evil, they pompously come in our faces, speaking to us like animals on their farm. When politicians reach this stage, we must say “good riddance…you have not served us well… we will vote you out!”
