PARAMARIBO – Teachers who are members of the Association of Teachers (BvL) and the Alliance of Teachers  in Suriname (ALS) are disappointed in the chairperson of both unions,  Reshma Mangre. Several teachers told Times of Suriname that they have been waiting for new elections since before the  COVID-19 period.

“We were surprised to hear that the chairwoman will  step down because of a new opportunity and that she will hand over the gavel to the deputy  chairman, Radjinder Ramnath, without organizing elections. The teachers disapprove of the fact that somebody is chosen without the consent of the union members. They made it clear that they feel betrayed by the chairwoman. Many teachers complained that Mangre could not be reached after she became a member of parliament. They also complained about the fact that teachers who indicated over two years ago that they want to exit the union still haven’t received any response. “I no longer want to be a member of the BvL and I have already sent a letter to the chairwoman but she never responded to my letter. I don’t want to pay my membership fee if the rights of teachers are not being protected and if there are no visible results,” said a teacher who is extremely disappointed in the way things are handled by the union’s chairwoman. She hopes that things will be done by the book and that elections will be held so that a successor can be chosen.