The government last week renewed the contracts of 22 stenographers, almost three months after the previous one expired.
According to Bahamas Public Service Union (BPSU) President John Pinder, the contract renewal has created "confusion" as the workers were all given higher positions than their civil servant counterparts.
Pinder said the 18 permanent and pensionable reporters have not been promoted in 10 years. A 2004 report by the Court Reporting Review Committee suggested that the government should take over management of the unit and end the dual system which fostered tensions between the contracted workers and their counterparts in the public service.
He said, "I can only assume the intention is to create more positions when the new courts open."
Pinder said he hopes to sort things out when he meets with Attorney General Allyson Maynard-Gibson this week.
The contracted workers had also hoped to become permanent in accordance with the 2004 recommendation, Pinder said. Instead, their contracts were extended for another three years.
The government continued the contract that the 22 workers had entered into with LET Consultancy when it prematurely terminated that company's contract last December. That contract expired on September 30 and the reporters were working monthly.
Court reporting was first introduced to The Bahamas in 1989 by Czerenda Court Reporting Service (CCRS), which was owned by American Randal Czerenda. CCRS continued to provide the service until 1999, when the contract was awarded to Ludell Theophilus of L.E.T. consultancy.

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