The Tribune

By KEILE CAMPBELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

WORKERS from the Department of Information and Communications Technology staged their third protest in less than three months outside the Office of the Prime Minister yesterday, citing continued delays in promotions, reclassification and regularisation, with no update following a single meeting with Economic Affairs Minister Michael Halkitis.

Bahamas Public Service Union president Kimsley Ferguson said workers remain in the dark about progress on long-standing issues, including outstanding payments to finance and accounting officers.

"We had one meeting with the minister of economic and since then we've gotten no information on the Department of ICT since that meeting and we've been asking to be apprised of the progress that's being made," Mr Ferguson said. "To date, we don't know anything after consistent appeals, and it's the same thing with the finance and accounting officers whose issue is pending from 2021 after the new administration took office."

He said the lack of response from officials has left workers feeling that protest is their only option.

Mr Ferguson said employees are increasingly frustrated, with morale deteriorating across departments as the cost of living rises.

"They're frustrated and moral is extremely low in the various departments," he said. "The cost of living is escalating, salaries are not comparative. The cost of living is such that persons are concerned that the particular standard of living they enjoy is now jeprodised."

Protesters said they are already struggling and questioned how much more they can endure as they called for long-overdue payments.

Some said workers are quietly dealing with personal hardships that are not visible to the public, while others stressed they are simply trying to support their families and urged officials to consider their circumstances outside the workplace.

The demonstration follows two earlier protests this year, including one in early February when workers first gathered outside the Office of the Prime Minister over unresolved promotions and regularisation.

Employees returned in late March, warning that little progress had been made.