U.S.V.I. official slams teacher's union for seeking recall

Saturday, October 11, 2003

CHARLOTTE AMALIE, U.S. Virgin Islands: The spokesman for the governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands, Mr. James O'Bryan Jr., has slammed the islands' teachers union for seeking a recall on Governor Turnbull.

Last month, the St. Croix Federation of Teachers launched an effort to recall Mr. Turnbull citing incompetence which led to public high schools in the U.S. Virgin Islands losing federal accreditation.

But Mr. O'Bryan Jr.,. says it is the teachers who are to be blamed for the poor state of the schools.

"Teachers take no responsibility for their absenteeism, and they want to recall the governor for something they themselves are contributing to," AP quoted him as saying last night.

But union president, Mr. Tyrone Molyneaux, said management appointed by Mr. Turnbull failed to hire substitutes to cover unexpected absences.

None of the petitions which the union began circulating last month to recall Turnbull have been returned yet, union officials said. 

The recall comes amidst a recall vote in California which saw Governor Gray Davis losing his seat to Hollywood film star Arnold Schwarzenegger.

  Back...

  Printable version