During Wednesday’s budget debate, Prime Minister John Briceño addressed the ongoing standoff between his administration and the Belize National Teachers Union. Speaking with reporters earlier in the day, he acknowledged the tension but later struck a more personal tone during the debate’s adjournment. In a lighthearted moment, the Prime Minister said, “I love teachers so much—I married one.” The comment drew a few smiles, but the underlying issue remains serious, as negotiations between the government and the union continue.
Prime Minister John Briceño
“This government, our PUP government, we just don’t speak to our teachers, we work with them, because it is only through collaboration and shared purpose that we can fulfill our mission, ensuring that every child is equipped with the knowledge and skill to be able to contribute to nation building. I want to make something absolutely clear to the teachers and especially to the union leaders, I have history with the BNTU. My mother was a teacher, a proud member of the BNTU. I marched as a child in Belize City with the BNTU. So when I stand with them and tell them this is what I can do, it is not that I don’t want to. I would love to give them more. I love teachers so much I married a teacher, Rosana Briceño”
