The culture of muzzling workers must stop
Published:Wednesday | February 27, 2019 | 12:00 AM
THE EDITOR, Sir:
I read in this newspaper of the Minister of Education Ruel Reid’s proposed regulations for code of conduct for politically active public-sector educators, which include clauses muzzling board chairmen, teachers and principals from criticising the ministry.
Teachers or principals who are politically active are restricted from criticising the programmes and policies of the Ministry of Education in any media, including social media, unless it is in the context of a public meeting of the teachers’ union or any other such non-political forum.
This proposal speaks to sanctions for people who transgress such code, and also the process that should be followed.
This code, to me, is one that seems to be a rather backward step and also an immature gesture coming from the ministry and minister. Each Jamaican has the right of free speech and, yes, with freedom comes responsibility. To stop someone from exercising their right to express themselves politically, to my mind, seems to be going too far, much less to say providing sanction.
No doubt, many stakeholders within the field of education go off on tangents and need to be brought in line, but a code with sanctions cannot be the way to go.
Minister, what about a training seminar in the use of social media and general media as it relates to the ministry? Minister, what about public sensitisation on how teachers, principals and school boards should related to the ministry from political standpoints?
I am seeing where this country seems to be moving to muzzle its workers. Also, we see police officers complaining about punishment being meted out to them for reporting about rat infestation at their workplace.
What is really happening in the country? Are we now moving to a dictatorship? This culture must stop and if workers are being affected, they must not be afraid to speak out. What brighter future are we building in Jamaica if we are going to muzzle people for speaking out?
Minister, I beseech you to revisit this code of conduct and the threat to provide sanctions. Come to the table with a spirit of open dialogue. Yes, there needs to be a discussion about how one must operate as an educator, both politically and socially. Let’s all talk!
CHRISTOPHER JOHNSON
Minister of Religion
Hanover