THE EDITOR, Sir:
PRESIDENT OF the Jamaica Teachers' Association (JTA), Ruel Reid, has now hit below the belt, advocating that non-JTA members should pay 90 per cent of its membership fee.
As a union or a movement or association, the JTA has underperformed. Many teachers have fled the classroom just to make ends meet. Jamaican teachers continue to be grossly underpaid, yet this high-ranking entity continues to expand its wings, becoming a secret financial giant.
There is absolutely no doubt as to the high level of proficiency of Jamaican teachers. The exodus of teachers recently, especially those who went to New York, unambiguously showed the world at large the high quality of our teachers. The JTA has never capitalised on any advantage in favour of its teachers. History clearly shows that it is a pro-People's National Party organisation and only gathers momentum when the current Opposition forms the Government.
While Mr. Reid is entitled to give as much lip service as possible, the real issues of teachers are not taken care of: Issues such as victimisation by administration at the workplace, etc. What Mr. Reid needs to do is to implement a policy where current JTA members get a dividend at the end of the school year, as an offshoot from the profit returns on the organisation's investments.
What is being done with the money made by businesses run by the JTA and all its affiliate organisations? Share some of this with the people whose sweat has paid to build this empire.
I am, etc.,
ST. ALBURN MUNROE,
B.Ed.
sainty41@hotmail.com
Via Go-Jamaica
