MUT top post contender wants level playing field

The contest for the post of president at the Malta Union of Teachers is not being run on a level playing field, Anthony Micallef Debono, who is contesting John Bencini, charged yesterday.

Mr Micallef Debono, a school head, said he was facing too many obstacles, among them the union's decision not to circulate his leaflets in schools and its refusal to let him hold a news conference at its premises.

"I have encountered numerous and, often, seemingly insurmountable difficulties in delivering this vision to members. But I am not easily discouraged," he said.

The union denied the allegations, saying the premises are used solely for official news conferences and strictly union business.

"No contestant for the MUT presidency and/or council requesting to use the premises in connection with elections will be allowed to organise such activities within the MUT," the union said in reply to Mr Micallef Debono's request.

Union general secretary Franklin Barbara said the MUT was only bound to distribute the biographical data of each candidate, to ensure everybody got the same exposure and space, but not leaflets.

Speaking to the media outside the MUT offices in Republic Street, Valletta, Mr Micallef Debono, 56, also took a dig at Mr Bencini, 63, saying he did not intend to contest the presidency once he became a pensioner.

He was of the firm conviction that a trade union should never be led by a retired person. A pensioner had an important role to play on the union's council but not as president.

When asked if it was true that Mr Bencini had told him he "didn't stand a chance" in the electoral race, he replied: "Whoever knows me, knows I don't lie. I guess I'm a great unknown, without the same exposure Mr Bencini is afforded."

Mr Bencini categorically denied this.

"When he (Mr Micallef Debono) told me he was in the race, I thought he was contesting for the post to represent the heads of schools. When he said he was contesting both that post and challenging me for president, I said that I felt he could give a greater contribution in the section for heads. I'm not some bully," Mr Bencini stressed.

Mr Bencini, who has been president for 12 years, said he was contesting the three-year post because he was asked to continue giving his contribution, especially since the vice-president was young and the secretary was still new to the post.

However, Mr Micallef Debono believed he had a lot to give and called on union members to decide which direction they wanted the MUT to take.

"Should we continue to be on the defensive and simply react to what others decide or should we be proactive and influential in the decisions that need to be taken? Should we continue to use outdated methods that are getting us nowhere?" he asked.

If elected, Mr Micallef Debono said his first priority would be a review of the latest agreement finalised between the MUT and the government because he felt teachers' concerns were not properly addressed.

"The so-called 'historic' agreement is a running joke among teachers. The government had signalled it was prepared to enter into discussions with the union to include an addendum but the union is not pushing enough on this," he said.

Mr Micallef Debono also felt the union's statute should be amended so that no agreement is sanctioned without the approval of the parties involved.

In reply to this, Mr Bencini said the union wrote to the Prime Minister last November and it had been agreed that an addendum would be attached to the agreement. The union was now waiting to start discussing with the new Education Minister. About 6,000 members are eligible to vote for the election. The ballots have already been posted and have to be received by June 9 at noon. The result will take about a week to be announced.