Teachers march today

POLICE have given permission for today’s march by the Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA) through the streets of Port-of-Spain. TTUTA president Trevor Oliver confirmed this yesterday and called on teachers to gather at 10 am at the Brian Lara Promenade, between Chacon and Abercromby Streets. The march is expected to end at Woodford Square, where Oliver will address teachers and bring them up to date on the salary negotiations with the Chief Personnel Officer (CPO). Teachers are asked to wear red or TTUTA T-shirts.

The union met yesterday with the CPO for another round of talks, but Oliver said there was no significant progress and another meeting is scheduled for next Friday. He noted that schools may have closed yesterday, but the struggle by teachers continues. The march is to highlight teachers’ dissatisfaction with the slow pace of negotiations. Oliver also congratulated all SEA students on their placements, with special commendation for the number one student Reanna Gobin and her school, Grant Memorial Presbyterian School. He said the union was satisfied that the results were legitimate. Teachers too, were praised for their work during the term, as Oliver pointed out that different schools had different challenges and that the product and the process were good.