The Tribune

By CHESTER ROBARDS

Tribune Staff Reporter

crobards@tribunemedia.net

ANOTHER person has come forward, claiming he has been victimised by the government.

Ivoine Ingraham, a former FNM chairman hopeful, was released from the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI) after he received a letter last week stating that his “contract will not be renewed”.

Mr Ingraham (no relation to former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham), who had been employed at BTVI since 2007 and received numerous promotions, said his release from the school seemed politically motivated.

“This past Thursday, BTVI Human Recourses called me for a meeting where I was presented with a letter that spoke to me being fired,” Mr Ingraham said in a press release.

He explained that days after the May 7 general election he was approached by a Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) campaign worker who assured him that he would not be employed at BTVI much longer.

“I was approached outside of Cable Bahamas by a campaign worker who was wearing a Jerome Fitzgerald shirt,” Mr Ingraham said. “He said I had better park the government car and clear out my desk because they are coming for my job.

“I then contacted Minister Fitzgerald and told him of the event, he said he didn’t have time for that kind of stuff.”

Jerome Fitzgerald, who is the Minister of Education, could not be reached for comment up to press time yesterday.

In a Facebook conversation between Mr Ingraham and Mr Fitzgerald provided to The Tribune, Mr Ingraham describes the run in with the PLP campaign worker to Mr Fitzgerald.

Mr Fitzgerald in his reply to Mr Ingraham said:  “You have been in this game longer than me, so you should not be surprised that persons will speak for the Government or Minister, who have no authority to do so. I have no intention of victimisation as I have far too much work to do! Peace and Love Brother.”

Mr Ingraham said he was brought to BTVI by the school’s manager, Dr Ida Dahl, to help clean up “stigmas” associated with the school. He then began receiving offers to be an adjunct and was eventually made head of the cosmetology department and then evening coordinator for the entire campus, he said.

“If I was as good to them as they say, to give me all those promotions, what could be such a great haste to get me out of there,” Mr Ingraham wanted to know.