Philipsburg:--- Several teachers teaching at the St. Maarten Academy (Academic and FAVE sections) have informed the board of the Windward Islands Teachers Union (WITU) that they have not received their 5.3% Cost of Living Adjustment in their vacation allowance for the month of June 2011 and the balance of the 3.3% on their June 2011 salary retroactive to January 2011.President of the WITU Claire Elshot said they received several calls from the teachers and the union tried to obtain clarity on the matter from the school board. However, Alsain Van Dijke Bell is off island while the other member of the board Mrs. Lourdes Brooks-Lake asked the union to put their concerns in writing so that the matter can be researched. WITU President Claire Elshot said the board of the union regrets that this is happening while the payments were made a month ahead of the signed MOU with the unions. Elshot said the Prime Minister had communicated the change to all school boards, teachers and civil servants. The reason given for the early payment was to avoid the re-calculation of the vacation allowance and the retroactive payment.
The WITU President said thus far all teachers working for government schools have received their monies correctly because the Union did not receive further complaints.
Elshot said she hopes that the matter pertaining to the payment can be resolved quickly because the motives for the non-payment are not clear to the union. The WITU president said that there are concerns regarding the legality and functioning of the St. Maarten Academy School Board that has only two members.
