The Tribune

By DANA SMITH

Tribune Staff Reporter

dsmith@tribunemedia.net

IN view of conflict of interest allegations in South Beach MP Cleola Hamilton’s appointment as a cabinet minister while still a union leader, and calls for her resignation, the two unions she leads have come to her defence. “She ain’t going anywhere,” they stated.

Mrs Hamilton serves as Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration. She is also president of the Bahamas Nurses Union (BNU) and vice president of the Trade Union Congress (TUC).

This prompted former Labour Minister Dion Foulkes and Bahamas Public Services Union President John Pinder to call for her resignation on the grounds that her executive roles in the two unions and a governmental post creates a conflict of interest.

Yesterday, TUC president Obie Ferguson questioned: “Where is the conflict? Your job is to represent workers and the interests of workers – doesn’t matter which party. If you’re there to represent the working people, it doesn’t matter.

“I would never, never ever, in my position as president suggest a situation that would put the honourable member of Parliament and vice president of TUC in any compromising position. I would never, ever propose such a thing.”

Mrs Hamilton is a “distinguished” and “deserving lady” who has proven herself, Mr Ferguson said. He added that she has the full support of the union as well as Bahamian workers.

“Her (ascent) to Parliament is clearly evidence of that fact,” he said. “Mrs Hamilton is a leader. There is no one in this country that can make any other statement, with any credibility, other than to agree with that. She is good to the nurses, she is good to workers and certainly she is good for the Trade Union Congress.”

Vice president of the BNU, Jannah Khalfani also spoke and said that the union had specifically requested that Mrs Hamilton stay on as president and the minister has “no desire” to be re-elected again in the coming elections.

Bahamas Public Services Union President, John Pinder called for the resignation of Mrs Hamilton, last week.

“I believe,” he said, “she should have stepped down before she was even elected to office. It is very difficult for a politician to not carry out the mandate of the party and its leader and act on the best interest of union members. Where does that leave both the TUC and BNU? At this point, the mature thing would be for her to resign.

“Some members will have different affiliations. Some will be FNM, PLP, DNA, or independent. I am led to believe that Ms Hamilton will not work in the best interest of members. She is working for the PLP and will see to it that the government has its way.”

A day later, former Labour Minister Dion Foulkes made a similar statement.

“It is impossible to serve the PLP and be a loyal Junior Cabinet Minister, for which Ms Hamilton took an oath, and also be faithful and loyal to the interest of nurses and the TUC.

“There will be many occasions when the interest of the PLP and the Government will conflict with that of the TUC as was evidenced recently when Minister Shane Gibson threatened and berated the Immigration and Customs officers and their union leadership,” he said. Mr Gibson was also a former union leader.