BVI Teachers Union looking forward to gov’t positively addressing payment of “all outstanding increments”

By MERRICK ANDREWS
Online News Editor

The BVI Teachers Union (BVITU) said it looks forward to a “positive outcome” to its request from the Ministry of Education, Youth Affairs and Sports regarding payment of all outstanding increments.

The Union released a statement on Friday, explaining its side of the story concerning its recent communications with the Ministry.

It reads: “On Friday, 3rd February, 2023, a letter was sent from the BVI Teachers’ Union to the
Minister for Education, Youth Affairs and Sports, Honourable Sharie deCastro. The
letter was sent on behalf of teachers requesting the payment of all outstanding
increments. Upon receiving the letter, the Minister immediately contacted [the] union asking
for a meeting with teachers.

“On Thursday, 9th February 2023 at 5:00 p.m., a meeting was convened with the Minister for Education, Youth Affairs, and Sports, teachers and education officials. The purpose of the meeting was to dialogue with teachers concerning payment of increments. This meeting was important to facilitate the opportunity for the Minister to hear directly from the teachers in order to adequately represent our views and position moving forward.”

The Union said at the end of the meeting, the minister “gave her word” that she would present their concerns to the House of Assembly and return with some possible solutions.

“The BVI Teachers’ Union publicly thanks the Minister for Education Youth Affairs and
Sports for engaging us. We look forward to a positive outcome to our request. We also
look forward to further conversations with the Minister and the Government of the Virgin
Islands as we work to improve the status of teachers in the territory,” the statement concluded.

Education Minister Sharie de Castro gave a detailed response to the situation in Friday’s House of Assembly sitting.

She said in light of the “alarming number of resignations” since the start of this school year, she is committed to “firmly” representing the views of teachers in relation to the payment of their outstanding increments and the review of their salary packages.

Minister de Castro further revealed in the House, details surrounding Thursday’s meeting and how she plans to move forward with the feedback she obtained from the educators from that meeting.

“Madam Speaker, on Friday 3rd, February 2022, I received a letter for the BVI Teacher’s Union
regarding the payment of outstanding increments. Upon receiving the letter, I immediately
contacted the union to request a meeting with the intention to hear directly from teachers so that their concerns could be effectively articulated and represented.

“The meeting was held on Thursday, 9th February 2023 and was very productive in achieving the expected outcome and I have committed firmly to representing the views of teachers in relation to both the payment of outstanding increments as well as prioritization of teachers in the compensation review process that is currently ongoing,” she disclosed.

She further stated that the Ministry of Education, Youth Affairs and Sports met with the consultants spearheading this compensation and reclassification project last Wednesday and articulated the Ministry’s position of firm reconsideration of salaries for educators in the territory as a matter of urgency. On that same day, the minister said she also met with the consultants in her role as a legislator and supported the position of the Ministry in relation to educators.

The minister revealed in the House that the Ministry has already received an alarming number of resignations since the start of this school year. She said if teachers continue to leave the profession, the immediate and long-term impacts would be gravely felt throughout the territory.