The Tribune

By KEILE CAMPBELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

FORMER Free National Movement candidate Janice Oliver has alleged that employees at the Bahamas Agriculture and Marine Science Institute were dismissed or demoted because of their perceived political affiliations, warning that political victimisation is eroding confidence in public institutions and dividing the North Andros community.

BAMSI’s board responded that it was unaware of victimisation of any kind at the institution and said human resources matters are handled by its Labour and Industrial Committee.

Ms Oliver said she had been told that workers were terminated or demoted because of their perceived political loyalties.

She did not identify the employees allegedly affected or say how many people were dismissed or demoted.

Ms Oliver said that, if the allegations were true, the issue went beyond employment and struck at fairness, justice and national unity.

“Unfortunately, that message rings hollow when employees believe they are being punished simply because they exercised their democratic right to support a different political party,” she said.

She argued that employment decisions should be based on competence, integrity and the operational needs of an organisation, not political affiliation.

Ms Oliver said confidence in public institutions begins to weaken when employees fear their livelihoods may depend on which political party they support.

She also warned that the impact of dismissal or demotion reaches far beyond individual workers.

“Those who have reportedly been demoted or dismissed have spouses, children, parents, relatives and friends,” she said.

“These are difficult economic times. Every paycheck supports a household. Every job represents food on a family’s table, children’s education, mortgage payments, and dignity.”

Ms Oliver said the allegations were especially damaging in North Andros, which she described as a close-knit community where residents attend the same churches, send their children to the same schools and share moments of celebration and grief.

She called on the area’s member of Parliament and BAMSI officials responsible for employment and human resources decisions to review the claims.

Ms Oliver said that if the decisions were driven by legitimate organisational needs, they should be explained transparently. If they were politically motivated, she said they should be reversed.

“Doing so would demonstrate courage, fairness, and genuine leadership,” she said.

“The choices made today will shape public confidence for years to come. History has shown that vindictive politics ultimately weakens communities rather than strengthens them.”

In its response, BAMSI said its board was unaware of political victimisation within any part of the institute’s operations.

“The Board of Directors of BAMSI is unaware of victimization of any kind, in any aspect of the operations of the Institute,” chairman Cerone T Dean said.

BAMSI said all human resources matters are referred to its Labour and Industrial Committee.

The institute said the committee is staffed by human resources and industrial relations professionals and operates according to the rule of law, BAMSI’s policies and procedures and International Labour Organisation standards.

BAMSI said it is committed to handling human resources and operational matters systematically and fairly while improving the efficiency and productivity of its services.

The institute did not address whether any employees had recently been dismissed or demoted, or respond individually to Ms Oliver’s allegations.