The board of the Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) yesterday denied a claim by Free National Movement (FNM) Chairman Darron Cash that there are plans to restructure the company.
On Monday, Cash released a statement claiming BTC

is set to begin

a "massive outsourcing program" that could lead to the loss of several hundred Bahamian jobs.
"The board of BTC notes the recent speculation regarding possible job losses within BTC and wishes to confirm that there are no such plans to restructure the business," read a statement signed by Cable and Wireless Communications (CWC) CEO and BTC Chairman Phil Bentley, and BTC Deputy Chairman Rowena Bethel.
"This message has been shared with our union partners.
"Moreover, the board is committed to increasing our level of investment across The Bahamas to improve network reliability and customer service.
"Finally, the board wishes to make it clear that this sort of unfounded speculation is most unwelcome, undermining, as it does, the confidence of the hard-working BTC employees who support our customers every day."
The board called for an end to "irresponsible accusations."
The outsourcing speculation fueled fear and uncertainty among the company's unions.
Bahamas Communications and Public Officers Union President Bernard Evans said on Monday the union had not been informed of any planned outsourcing.
However, he said if that happened the union would "bring BTC to a complete stop."
Bahamas Communications and Public Managers Union President Talbot Collie said he was "cautiously pessimistic" about the claims.
On Tuesday, government negotiator, Franklyn Wilson, said he had no knowledge of any planned layoffs at the company.
He said, as part of the 2011 sale, the FNM government approved a business plan, which was inclusive of such outsourcing.
BTC board member and Progressive Liberal Party Chairman Bradley Roberts raised the same point in a statement on Tuesday.
FNM Leader Dr. Hubert Minnis defended his party yesterday amid the accusations that the Ingraham administration approved outsourcing during the 2011 sale.
Minnis said the Ingraham administration negotiated a veto clause that meant the government could stop any attempts to export jobs as long as it retained at least a 15 percent interest in the company.
The government has a 49 percent stake in BTC.
Prime Minister Perry Christie and Bentley announced in January that CWC has agreed to transfer just under two percent of its shares in BTC to the Bahamian people to be held in trust.
However, the deal has yet to be released to the public.

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