Petrina Francis, Staff Reporter

Ocho Rios, St Ann:

The Jamaica Teachers' Association (JTA) yesterday failed to come to a resolution on the way forward as it relates to salary and fringe benefits for the island's more than 22,000 public-school teachers, as the time allotted to debate the heated topic expired.

Byron Farquharson, chairman of the salaries and conditions of service committee, told the gathering at the JTA's annual conference that the association would give the Government until August 29 to respond to the terms of the reclassification study.

The reclassification study is expected to bring teachers' salaries to 80 per cent of what obtains in the private sector.

Need for action

But delegate Norman Allen said August 29 was too long.

"We need to look seriously at what action we are going to be taking. We came to this conference for a decision to be made and we are not leaving conference without a decision," Allen said amid applause.

It was a heated debate at the conference as delegates tried to decide on the way forward.

Past president of the JTA, Paul Adams, labelled the Government "vicious, wicked and cruel".

"Let this conference declare that the Government has a responsibility to respond to the reclassification and, if it does not do that, we are incapable to determine if September is on the calendar," Adams told the gathering at the Sunset Jamaica Grande Resort and Spa.

He said the JTA was asking the prime minister to intervene immediately.

"He can call people names as he wants … he can settle the police claims as he wants and he can pay the teachers of Jamaica as he wants," said Adams, who is the principal of Herbert Morrison Technical High School.

Missed deadlines

The study, which is being conducted by a company, Focal Point, has missed its deadlines in submitting the report. It is expected that an interim report is to be presented to the Ministry of Finance and Planning today.

The JTA had asked for a 50 per cent increase in year one and another 50 per cent in year two. However, the Government has offered 15 per cent in year one and seven per cent in year two.

petrina.francis@gleanerjm.com