By Cathy Stovell Close to 200 teachers have asked for clarification on one point in the proposed wage and hours package presented to them this week.

Bermuda Union of Teachers general secretary Michael Charles disclosed this after a meeting on Tuesday evening at CedarBridge Academy to discuss the latest offer.

The package developed by BUT and the Ministry of Education had to be accepted in its entirety, according to Mr. Charles.

"There is no provision to leave out a portion. It's a package deal,'' he said, "and the teachers felt rather than signing while they were unsure on this one point, they would hold off and get clarification.'' While refusing to identify the problem, Mr. Charles said he was "hopeful'' that an agreement between the BUT and the Ministry "would take place soon''.

"I talked with them this morning and it is the type of matter that can be cleared up over the phone,'' he said.

"It really does not require us to have to sit down in face-to-face meetings.

But we realise that once you sign you are bound so we want to clear the matter up.'' Hopeful that a solution can be arrived at as early as next week, Mr. Charles noted: "I would like to get this over with so that we can move on.'' Earlier in the year teachers staged an island-wide sick-out after claiming the Government was failing to honour a commitment on teachers' hours.

But Mr. Charles said further industrial action was unlikely.

Confident: Michael Charles