The Tribune

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

A PAYOUT for Bahamas Customs and Immigration officers that was scheduled to be finalised this week was delayed after union members did not show up for a meeting with the government, said Ministry of Labour officials yesterday.

According to a press statement released by ministry executives, the government was prepared to sign off on the agreement that would enable members to receive their payments, reportedly a $1,200 lump sum, on or before December 19.

However, officials said it was unfortunate that key Bahamas Customs Immigration and Allied Workers Union (BCIAWU) members whose signatures were needed on the agreement failed to report to the Department of Public Service.

It was initially scheduled for 10.30am on Monday.

“Several of the executives of the union arrived at the meeting,” the statement said, “however they indicated that they were awaiting the arrival of their president and other executives, including their counsel/consultant.

“Approximately at 11am those executives in attendance were invited into the conference room and asked whether or not the other executives would be joining the meeting.

“They indicated that neither Mr Sloane Smith, their vice-president, nor Ms Ursula Oliver, their secretary general, were available and that their counsel Mr Obie Ferguson was tied up in a court matter and unable to attend.

“It should be noted that Mr Ferguson’s office called after 10.30am and stated that Mr Ferguson had a court matter and would be delayed by 10 minutes.

“Mr Ferguson did not appear at the meeting.”

The statement went on to explain that Mr Ferguson, through an e-mail dated December 1 later confirmed that he had asked for a postponement of the meeting until the afternoon because of court obligations.

A new meeting was subsequently agreed for 5pm.

However both Mr Smith and Mr Ferguson told reporters on Tuesday that the government was being disingenuous by suggesting that the union was hindering its members from receiving the rewards of the agreement.

Mr Smith said: “What honourable Minister Gibson has failed to say to the rest of the public is they already gave portions of our workers, our clerical colleagues, they already gave this to them without a contract. They already gave this to the police, all of the defence force, all of the prison officers a contract.

“Yet he finds himself going to the media and being quite disingenuous in saying that we are stopping our members from getting this stuff, no. Minister needs to simply do the right thing and stop playing games. He talks about us playing games but he is the biggest player of games. Something is fundamentally wrong with that.”

It has not been said when a new meeting will be held.