Nassau, Bahamas —  A Principal has been put out of a school for talking, and the story raises questions about democracy in the Bahamas. If you went to E.P. Roberts Primary School as we did this week, you would notice the word written in big bold letters on the chalkboard: VICTIMIZATION!

The word represents payback to the principal of the school by the Ministry of Education. He was reprimanded, [another word on the board], and sent home for the next seven months.

The Director of Education, Lionel Sands, chided Kendle Burrows for speaking out to the press on the ‘Wutless’ condition of the school.

Teachers walked out of classes in mid-September after a series of complaints to the authorities went unheeded. The protest by educators prompted a visit to the school by members of the WUTLESS MEDIA.

Burrows explained the situation to the press, and, like the good educator he is, advised parents he believe the problems would soon be rectified. But guess what happened …

With instructions from the outgoing FNM government, Sands was coached to censure the veteran educator, also advising him to pack up his ‘georgie bundle’ and go home for the next seven months until his retirement kicks in.

This hand of victimization by the Ingraham government has become a Frankenstein nightmare for public servants. It was also recently extended on the island of Grand Bahama to the former Port Chairman Hannas Babak when he had a run-in with a senior FNM politican’s sweetheart. That senior FNM stepped in and stalled the entire Grand Bahamian economy and placed its economic future in jeopardy. Babak was chased out of the country and Grand Bahamians suffered as a result.

Again that FNM’s Frankenstein hand of victimization was laid upon the most objective editor of our time, Oswald Brown, when wrote a scathing editorial explaining that the Elizabeth By-election would be a watershed moment for the outgoing Ingraham government.

Now imagine, after giving all his life to education, rearing young people and molding the nation, victimization was the payback Principal Burrows got from an outgoing government, only months before his retirement! SHAME!

Desmond Bannister should address this matter with the greatest URGENCY! For a man who has been Christianize from humble beginnings and anointed with holy oils, reared with much attention, love and decency; we are shocked beyond our spectacles! Bannister is the son of educators [BOTH PARENTS]. Both we know would never approve of such action by the department of education, and we are certain would find disappointment if they were to discover that he was involved in such a shameful victimization exercise.

Readers must remember this is the same government, with the same minister of education, who advised the nation that schools were ready and had sufficient teachers assigned to classrooms. This is the same government and same department, which argued that we had more than enough educators in the system except for the areas of math and science. The same department which said, except for schools affected by Hurricane Irene, all schools were ready to open as scheduled. Now a principal speaks out and WAP, he is victimized?

Bahamas Press calls on Teacher Union President, Belinda Wilson, and NCTU President Jenny Isaacs-Dotson to rain fire and brimstone on the Department of Education for its wutless behaviour against the principal of E. P. Roberts.

The country cannot move forward and be promoted as a progressive free nation with open airwaves, if, when one speaks on them, they are slapped down, kicked out, blackballed and VICTIMIZED!

The children of E. P. Roberts Primary School do not have sufficient teachers, and now they have no full time principal.

Boy, we need CHANGE!