New Category : Disputes

Mcalpine Needs To Say If He’S With Fnm Or Not

Fri, Dec 13th 2019, 06:00 AM

ONE day after Golden Isles MP Vaughn Miller resigned from his party, Free National Movement Chairman Carl Culmer said it’s time Pineridge MP Frederick McAlpine made up his mind about his own intentions. “You can’t be inside the party and be a Trojan horse,” he said. “He needs to decide whether he will be an FNM and know how organisations work or not. Sometimes you can’t agree (with a party) but there’s a place and a way to air your disagreements. To come in the party and then blast the party, I have a problem with that.” Mr Culmer said he “cannot respect McAlpine for what he’s doing,” comparing him unfavourably to Mr Miller. “Vaughn had his differences but never one day tried to kill the party,” he said. “Vaughn stated his disagreements and that was it. You never saw him outside trying to degrade or belittle anyone.”

Vote of confidence in PM passed

Thu, Dec 12th 2019, 06:00 AM

Job Switch ‘Is Not Demotion’

Thu, Dec 12th 2019, 06:00 AM

Union Boss Cries Foul In Election

Wed, Dec 11th 2019, 06:00 AM

Top officers 'insulted' by jobs switch

Wed, Dec 11th 2019, 06:00 AM

Muslim takes police fight to Privy Council

Wed, Dec 4th 2019, 04:15 PM

A FORMER police constable has vowed to fight the government all the way to the Privy Council to get justice for being fired from the Royal Bahamas Police Force because of his unwillingness to compromise a key component of his Muslim faith. Bertram Bain, in an interview with The Tribune, said he and his attorney Maria Daxon are still fighting former Commissioner of Police Ellison Greenslade's August 2017 decision to fire him for his unwillingness to shave his beard in accordance with the RBPF's grooming policies. His comments came less than a month after he received a letter from the permanent secretary in the Ministry of the Public Service that stated that Governor General C A Smith advised that his appeal against Mr Greenslade's decision be "set aside" due to the expiration of his contract. The November 15 letter further stated that Governor General Smith advised that Mr Bain will be "awarded" gratuity benefits for his 17 years of service to the police force, with effect from August 2, 2017, the date Mr Greenslade fired him.

The National Insurance Board Continues to Seek a Reasonable Conclusion to its Industrial Agreement

Mon, Dec 2nd 2019, 03:00 PM

On Friday, November 29, 2019 the Union of Public Officers (UPO) staged a demonstration at The National Insurance Board’s Headquarters, Clifford Darling Complex, Baillou Hill Road, which extended beyond the 15-minute tea break period prescribed in the industrial agreement. The action included the blockage of the main entry gate and driveway for a period of time. Via the media,theBoardwasmadeawarethattheactionmaybeastrike. TheBoardisawaitingformal confirmation so that appropriate measures may be taken.

The public would be aware that NIB is currently in negotiations with the UPO to conclude a 5-year industrial agreement. The current negotiations were on track to conclude within six months (by June 2019) unlike the previous agreement which took some three years to conclude. Since May 2019, the negotiations have been with the Office of the Minister of the Public Service and National Insurance and have continued to progress well, with an agreeable conclusion being very close. Nevertheless, Union Members took a number of industrial actions beginning in May 2019, recently escalating to the Union of Public Officers seeking and successfully obtaining a strike vote in November 2019; where 285 of the 404 members voted in favour of withdrawing their labour.

In the current negotiations, the Board has agreed to monetary increases in almost every category of staff benefits, including monthly mileage allowances, acting and responsibility allowances and the introduction of new financial benefits. There have also been increases to the performance- based Christmas bonus which is paid irrespective of the financial performance of the Board. NIB offers an attractive salary and benefits package to its staff, inclusive of health insurance and a staff pension plan.

The outstanding issues remain around automatic promotions of certain groups of employees and the compensation schedule (i.e. lump sums and salary add-ons). The UPO has been asked to present a clear, written counterproposal which reflects the views of their members. The Board will also be seeking a clear commitment to productivity and service level improvements. Despite the arbitrary actions taken by Union Members in their recent demonstrations, the Union is again urged to de-escalate, continue the negotiations in good faith, and assist in bring these negotiations to conclusion. NIB remains committed to a reasonable conclusion of the negotiations.

The public should be aware that for the 2020 period, Management is projecting a sizeable deficit between contributions income and benefit payments, consistent with actuarial projections for the National Insurance Fund. Further pressure has been placed on the Fund in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian, which has left many Bahamians unemployed, and contributing businesses closed on the second and third largest economies of The Bahamas.

Management has sought to prudently manage NIB’s resources by slowing the growth of administrative expenses while preserving the staff complement. Management accepts that the path to improved sustainability is difficult and unpopular, but is necessary for the overall benefit of the thousands of Bahamians who depend on the Fund.

Notwithstanding the protests by the Union, Management will continue to focus on its core mission of providing benefit payments to its beneficiaries, and to improving its service delivery.

Gibson's lawyers want commissioner sacked

Fri, Nov 29th 2019, 06:00 AM

SHANE Gibson’s lawyers want Police Commissioner Anthony Ferguson removed from office and will make a complaint to the Bar Association to have Director of Public Prosecutions Garvin Gaskin disbarred due to the way investigations were handled in Mr Gibson’s case, according to former State Minister for Legal Affairs Damian Gomez, QC. He said lawyers also intend to sue for malicious prosecution on Mr Gibson’s behalf. In defending their client, Mr Gibson’s lawyers stressed the testimony of Assistant Superintendent of Police Debrah Thompson above everything. ASP Thompson admitted she was wrong to meet key players to synchronise their statements. Prosecution lawyers argued that the subsequent changes to a witnesses’ statement were immaterial. ASP Thompson testified that such conduct is common in investigations. She said Commissioner Ferguson and Mr Gaskin were aware of her meeting with contractor Jonathan Ash, Mr Gibson’s alleged co-conspirator Deborah Bastian and their lawyers. Mr Gibson was accused of soliciting and accepting bribes from Mr Ash, with Ms Bastian being his alleged middle-woman.