Bahamas Public Services Union (BPSU) President John Pinder said yesterday he is confident that promotions for court reporters will be approved for the next fiscal period, which begins July 1.

"I was informed on Thursday that all the funding that was sought has been approved," Pinder told The Nassau Guardian.

"I feel much more confident that we will meet the deadline."

He said he will follow through today to ensure that the required information is submitted on time.

In May, Pinder threatened that the judiciary would suffer the consequences if promotion deadlines for 18 stenographers employed by the government were not met.

Pinder said stenographers have waited more than 10 years for promotions and only recently learned that the judiciary's budget cannot accommodate their promotions. Their privately contracted counterparts received promotions earlier this year.

"It's unfair to sort out the contracted reporters and leave out the career reporters," Pinder said.

"We condemn that to the fullest."

Pinder did not rule out a complete shutdown of the courts.

In a recent report, British consultant Ben Yallop said that outstanding promotions for court reporters should be awarded as appropriate.

Yallop said the court reporters "presently feel undervalued", and although the unit is performing well, this was likely affecting performance.

Yallop also called for an end to the "divisive system" of contracted and permanent staff "so that all long-term personnel are made permanent and are able to receive the appropriate benefits to which they should be entitled".

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