Teacher fired under vaccine mandate, back on the job without reapplying

Ann-Marie Ballantyne, a French and Spanish teacher who was fired in November 2021 under the government’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate, returned to the classroom on Friday, three days after informing the new government of her interest in doing so.

Ballantyne told iWitness News on Sunday that she received a call from the Ministry of Education on Thursday, two days after she had turned up at the St. Vincent Grammar School (SVGS), where she had been teaching before the mandate came into effect.

She told iWitness News that she had acted based on information provided by Prime Minister Godwin Friday on December 1, as he arrived at the Administrative Complex in Kingstown for the first day of work in that building after being sworn in on Nov. 28.

“… I heard him say what he said. I can’t remember his words verbatim now. I decided I will go and register my interest at my former workplace. … I went on Tuesday. I told them that I was still interested. My interest in my job is unchanged,” Ballantyne told iWitness News.

“I spoke with the deputy principal, because the principal is out on leave, so I told her of my interest, and I asked her to please convey that information to the necessary authorities.”

Ballantyne said she received a call on Thursday from a senior education officer, informing her to report to work at SVGS the following day.

She told iWitness News that the education officer had told her that there was a memo.

However, she said she was not sure whether that memo related to all teachers or all public sector workers who lost their jobs under the mandate.

“… but he said that there was a memo and I should report to Grammar School,” Ballantyne told iWitness News.

She said she asked the education officer about a letter of reinstatement because that had always been one of her issues.

“He told me the letter will follow, but for now, I must report to Grammar School. … and Friday, when I went, I spoke again to my deputy principal … and she signed a resumption card to show that I was resuming duties. … I didn’t have to sign anything. I didn’t sign anything, but I asked her to see the card. It was a resumption card, … She basically took me and introduced me to the staff … So, I have to be reporting to work until the end of the term, basically.”

Hundreds of public sector workers lost their jobs for failing to take a COVID-19 jab by November 2021, as the then Unity Labour Party (ULP) administration had mandated.

The Public Service Union, St. Vincent and the Grenadines Teachers Union and the Police Welfare Association sponsored a lawsuit challenging the government’s action.

The High Court ruled in March 2023 that the government’s actions were illegal and unconstitutional and that the workers never ceased to be employees of the state.

However, in February 2025, the Court of Appeal overturned that ruling in a 2-1 decision and has since given permission for the matter to be heard by the London-based Privy Council, SVG’s highest court.

The New Democratic Party (NDP) had long committed to reinstating the workers with their benefits intact.

In the lead-up to the Nov. 27 general election — which the NDP won by taking 14 of the 15 parliamentary seats —  Friday had said that an NDP government would reinstate the workers within 60 days of coming to office.

iWitness News asked the now-prime minister on Dec. 1 about the implementation of this policy.

“… we have made a commitment, and we intend to honour that commitment,” Friday said, but added that it would take some time for the processing to be done.

“I know some persons may come to work and so forth today (Dec. 1), as we had said, but that is a process of essentially saying, ‘Listen, I’m ready to come back to where I have been.’”

The prime minister said, “… the process of taking the proper information and making sure that people are properly positioned and that they can be assured that they will be rehired and put in the positions that they can function effectively, but it starts the process today.”

He said it would take some time to get everything in place, noting that some things have changed since the workers were dismissed.

“Some positions may not be available. Some positions may have changed. Persons may be there, but we will honour the spirit and the commitment that we’ve made to the public servants who were fired under the vaccine mandate. We intend to do so starting now,” he said.

Ballantyne told iWitness News that this is the information she acted on.

She said she had also expressed her interest in returning to work after the initial High Court judgment and after the Court of Appeal ruling.

“I had sent a letter expressing my interest, basically recalling my entire story, what had happened that led up to my dismissal, and letting them know that my interest in teaching is unchanged … and I published it in the media.”

She said she felt excited returning to work, although the only students she knew were the fifth formers, whom she had taught as Form 1 students.

“I am excited. I am happy that the right thing was done because injustice was done to the workers. And I am happy that it has reached to this point where we can actually return to our work, which we did not abandon,” she told iWitness News.

Ballantyne’s husband, Shefflorn Ballantyne, a Community College lecturer who also lost his job under the mandate, also reminded his former workplace last week of his interest in returning to work, but is yet to receive a call.

She urged other public sector workers to be patient with the process, adding that it would take some time for all interested workers to be reinstated.

“What I would say is to register your interest. …  I went to my former workplace, as I said, Grammar School. But just register your interest, let them know that you’re still interested in your job. I don’t think any letter or anything should be written,” she told iWitness News.

Ballantyne said two nurses had told her they had gone to express their interest, and they were told that they had to write a letter and bring in certain qualifications and so forth.

“I don’t know where that came from. But I don’t think that anybody should have to be writing a letter,” she said.

“I mean, they promised that they will reinstate all workers. So, I think it’s just a matter of time, and we understand that the process may be a little slow, but it is expected that they will fulfil — the government will fulfil — their promise of reinstating workers. But I understand, too, that it will take some time.”