<<< Berlinda Wilson, President of the Bahamas Union of Teachers.
Harbour Island, Bahamas — Berlinda Wilson, the candidate once endorsed by BP, was heard on national radio on Wednesday afternoon saying she is concerned with false allegations being brought against educators in the teaching profession. Her comments come on the heals of yet another allegation of sexual molestation in the school and upon the return of Andre Birbal to the capital. Birbal you would remember was extradited back to the Bahamas after he allegedly molested more than 20 boys at the eight Mile Rock High School.
BP advises the president of the Bahamas Union of Teachers not to go down that road and sully what is left in her name. Her comments have made us very concerned with her abilities to lead the union. We wonder who is she protecting?
Bahamas Press travelled to Harbour Island this week following new allegations of a sexual nature emanating from the school in that community. From what we know it appears that the child’s complaint was caught in time. However, what we also know have damaged our support to Wilson permanently, and we are calling for her IMMEDIATE REMOVAL AS PRESIDENT OF THE BUT!
We call on the board governing the union to call an emergency meeting and send WILSON a clear warning!
An incident on the island had forced a meeting with the BUT president with the school leadership. Parents tell us all attempts have been made to hush the new allegation. BP knows the teacher who was transferred from another family island for the same complaints of a sexual nature. Parents are talking to BP and they want JUSTICE!
BP has also learned the senior educator on that island had made several advances to young girls at that school, propositioning them and in one case had given the juvenile all his private contacts. We can confirm a meeting was held and the claims have been swept under the carpet following that meeting with Berlinda Wilson, president of the BUT.
Wilson told a reporter Wednesday, she is concerned with false charges brought against members of the profession, however, the president should know advances made against children of a sexual nature whether true or false, warrants an investigation and is a standard procedure in many modern countries! NO CHILD SHOULD BE SCREAMING FOUL AND IT GOES UNHEARD!
You mean to tell us Wilson is another VILLAGE IDIOT, who has risen to the top? There are more details to this story and BP will update our readers further.
I am so pleased to see how Minister Bannister is taking control of this massive plague that was and still is destroying our schools,churches and entire community.It makes me feel that,the stand that I took, along with the INITY IS STRENGTH MOVEMENT was not in vain,but it is disappointing,to see that the Sexual Complaints Unit did not include some private citizens on the committee…This whole vexing problem was brought to the light and actually initiated by concerned residents,(Troy Garvey,Jah Shiloh,Rasta Daniel and Daddy Ragga)who,was not prepared to accept the status quo on these situations.While I still feel that efforts are being made,there are still some cover ups that is going on and we will not stand idly by and allow it to carry on.I am also convinced,that,there are citizens of this country who has a zero tolerance towards these heinous acts……Bahamians,I want to encourage you,to,not allow these perpetrators to get away with these unlawful practices on our little darlings…(OUR FUTURE LEADERS).
The government schools are getting all the attention but none is going to the private schools. Why is this?
Back in the day i was privileged to attend a private school and there were rumors that male teachers where involved with female students back then. Just because most of the private schools are extensions of religious denominations doesnt mean a thing. How many teacher-student relationships are they hiding or not reporting?
There has to be unified rules that ALL schools have to adhere too. If private schools want to add stricter policy so be it, but there should be a general code of conduct that all schools, public or private, must follow.
I hope the government asks the private schools for information regarding teacher-student and student-student sexual contact and activity because if its happening in the public schools, i think its safe to say its probably going on in the private schools as well.
Published On:Thursday, April 01, 2010
By MEGAN REYNOLDS
Tribune Staff Reporter
mreynolds@tribunemedia.net
“DIRTY secrets” of sexual molestation will no longer be kept in government schools, as Minister of Education Desmond Bannister warned hundreds of teachers that complaints of a sexual nature will not be ignored.
In the first all-day seminar on sexual abuse in schools organised by the Bahamas Union of Teachers (BUT) for male staff yesterday, Mr Bannister informed them of the strict protocol by which all complaints are investigated.
All men who teach at New Providence government schools were invited to the seminar, said to be the first of its kind in Bahamian history, and those schools that did not comply with the invitation will not have the opportunity to do so again, Mr Bannister warned.
He called on hundreds of educators who filled the All Saints Anglican Church and Community Centre hall in Joan’s Heights, off East Street South, to live up to their legal, moral and professional responsibility to protect school students by reporting all suspicions of abuse and never turning a blind eye.
“We know that these things are happening and we cannot as parents, as law-abiding citizens, or as teachers to allow it to continue,” Mr Bannister said.
“You can expect, when a matter is reported, that it will be investigated thoroughly, and the necessary action will be taken.
“There is no sweeping the matter under the rug.
“For too long we have been keeping these little dirty secrets, far too many people have washed their hands of these matters.
“The important thing is to put a stop to it, address it and ensure our children are protected. They go to school to learn, not to be destroyed or victimised.”
A Sexual Complaints Unit established at the Ministry of Education last year is mandated to investigate all allegations of sexual abuse across the islands and has already launched investigations to the alleged abuse of at least 18 schoolchildren in Andros and Eleuthera this year.
The Minister assured teachers that the team, including an investigator, attorney, and school psychologist will thoroughly examine all allegations to protect both students and teachers as he said he understands how they too can be vulnerable to allegations of abuse.
Leader of the Sexual Complaints Unit Sterling Gardiner informed the male teachers how the unit operates, while Attorney General’s office lawyer Neil Braithwaite informed them of the legal implications and motivational speaker, family therapist Dr Wayne Thompson addressed the emotional issues attached to sexual abuse.
The first seminar of its kind invited men only as men are the perpetrators in the majority of sex abuse cases in Bahamian schools. However there is scope for building on the initial one day seminar which is the first to address the accountability of teachers in sexual abuse claims on such a scale.
Invitations were sent to schools across the island, which closed at midday yesterday, and Mr Bannister said those who did not accept the invitation will be required to attend next time.
The men attending the seminar objected to the presence of a woman reporter covering the event, and The Tribune’s reporter was removed from the room by BUT president Belinda Wilson.
BP looks like the new MOE agrees with you. Read the article in the Tribune. He let them have it!!
http://www.tribune242.com/news/04012010_sexabuseschools_news_pg1
Carl Bethel needs to resign as FNM Chairman as the present Minister is showing just how complacent and incompetent he was.How many instances are there where teachers married students because they had gotten them pregnant?Perhaps now that these many instances of child molestation is being revealed a code of conduct needs to be implemented or if one exists then enforcement needs to come into play.
this may bring out everything that goes on in some schools. alot of kids refuse to mention anything at all to parents. but for sure some teachers have hidden sides to themselves
Berlinda is primarily obligated to the Teachers that elect her and expect her to Stand Up for them.This is where all the confusion lies. She can take a stand wihout having to cast aspertions on the children and their families. That require a certain degree of Tact and Leadership of which Belinda Wilson cannot find the cloth. She is a Bull in a China Shop Leader and every attempt to downplay that style only leave her tripping up and making reckless comments. I hope though,( for the sake of the Teachers she represents), She find the required skill to lead them to War (which she can) and negiotiate strategically in a room and speak to it resolutely. God hear my prayer !!!
Its so dumb to cry FALSE ALLEGATIONS just to protect your image..to make it look like you doing a good job Wilson, and that nothing is going on during your tenure as President. Whether you like it or not you can’t control the actions of people (your teachers). This is like the PM denying crime in the country. I personally feel that the children are the most important factors in the situation..if they have something to say then listen (true or not) you go and discredit them and their parents with your FALSE ALLEGATIONS statement??
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