Some members of the Barbados Union of Teachers (BUT) are unhappy with the decision by a primary school principal to contest the presidency of the teachers’ body.
Principal of the St Bernard’s Primary School, Everton Briggs, will be among challengers for the top position and will come up against incumbent Pedro Shepherd when the election is held on Friday.
Last week, a letter was disseminated to members, which made reference to a perceived conflict of interest should Briggs be victorious.
“The concern is that Mr Briggs may have great difficulty in opposing the Ministry of Education, Technology and Innovation and representing the teachers’ concerns, given his position as a principal, among other things,” the letter stated.
But Briggs disagrees.
“I’m a teacher. First and foremost that’s what I am. I may be a principal, but I will always be a teacher. I know where I came from as a teacher, and I will always have the welfare of teachers at my heart,” Briggs said when asked about the perceived conflict of interest should he defeat Shepherd and Sean Spencer, the other teacher vying for presidency of the BUT on April 13.
According to the letter of protest, Briggs’ possible conflict stems from his serving on the executive of then BUT president Karen Best, who is now the Chief Education Officer.
The letter also noted that Briggs’ appointment at St Bernard’s Primary School came after Best was appointed Chief Education Officer.
Briggs remains unconcerned.
“There is nothing wrong with a principal of a school becoming the president,” he suggested. “I’m not the first principal that would have vied for the presidency of the union. There was a principal in the position before, so I don’t see how that would be an issue in this election.”
Briggs said teachers were concerned with the leadership of Shepherd, especially after a number of violent incidents occurred at both primary and secondary schools in Barbados.
In the last week, things have heated up within the BUT family, with Briggs and Spencer sending out public notices of their intention to challenge Shepherd for the union’s presidency. (BA)
