“Apology not accepted Mr. Nair, please tender your resignation instead.” Were the sharp words delivered by Mr. Dino Rolle, President of the Bahamas Communications and Public Officers Union (BCPOU) in response to the apology offered by Balan Nair, President of Liberty Latin America (LiLac), parent company of BTC.
The apology offered by Mr. Nair was in response to a litany of videos that went viral on social media this week. The videos were taken at a staff meeting held in Jamaica, in which Mr. Nair was seen to be complaining about BTC staff and urging BTC staff to improve their work ethics and be more like the staff in Jamaica.
“The comments in the video by Mr. Nair, underscore the concerns that have been expressed by the executives and members of the BCPOU”, said Mr. Rolle. “Mr. Nair and his team of executives demonstrate on a daily basis poor leadership as they lack any moral compass or sensitivity. Instead of developing a firm strategic plan supported by capital investment for the Bahamas, whereby motivating the staff to perform; they result to ‘plantation tricks and tactics’ to pit various 2 operations against each other”. These comments were echoed in a closed union meeting on Wednesday with BCPOU Executives in response to the actions of the Mr. Nair and the Executive Management of BTC.
Mr. Rolle went on to state, “We are only asking Mr. Nair and his team of hand-picked executives to perform or resign. The Bahamian Leadership team that was in place, handed them a functioning and profitable company. This constant banter and placing the burden of the vision and delivery of the objectives of BTC on the backs of line-staff is pure and utter rubbish. Leadership does not work like that. They need to lead by example”.
For some time now the BCPOU have been fighting vigorously to preserve the jobs of its members post privatization. The fight is even moreso now under the current leadership of BTC’s Jamaican CEO, Gary Sinclair and LiLac President, Balan Nair. This dedication has heightened in recent weeks after BCPOU learnt of the pending downsizing at BTC, the possible outsourcing of jobs presently held by Bahamians and now Liberty’s interest in purchasing additional shares in BTC from the government.
“We must find our voice”, stated the union chief. “For too long we’ve sat and allowed foreign entities to come and take from us what rightfully belongs to us as Bahamians. BTC was built on the backs and with the blood sweat and tears of Bahamians. They knew what it took to run this company. How else do you explain BTC’s ability to maintain above 80% market share for up to 18 months after competition? It was under the leadership of a Bahamian CEO, Mr. Leon Williams. As soon as he was 3 ousted and someone who doesn’t understand the ‘lay-of-the-land’ sat in the chair, we began struggling to hold onto a mere 50% market-share.”
Mr. Rolle in his meeting also drew the similarities in the poor leadership styles of the LiLac President and current BTC CEO. He said that it ‘starts from the top’ which is why the behavior is tolerated. He reminded the team that Mr. Sinclair made similar declarations about BTC’s staff to the public. Mr. Sinclair had previously referred to the staff as ‘dead wood’. Not surprisingly, he is now on-track for being the first CEO in the 2000s to lead the company without turning a profit. He stressed, “Not only is their behavior disingenuous, the poor management and fledging decline in revenues is detrimental to the government’s interests, as they are the majority shareholder for BTC”.
Mr. Rolle made this comment after having learnt that Mr. Nair and a band of a high-level Liberty delegation landed in New Providence last week, to attend what is being regarded as a ‘meeting for an investment proposal to the Government of the Bahamas’ for the remaining shares in BTC. “Considering the display of disaffection and lack of confidence Mr. Nair expressed towards BTC’s employees, the Union understanding that this investment proposal is for the purchase of the remaining shares in BTC, wishes to advise the government to think hard and long about such a move.
The union stands in absolute, strong opposition to further the divesting of BTC shares to this group. This is only a trick for LiLac to have true majority interests and do as they wish to the Bahamian staff remining at BTC. This time, the employees of BTC want our Prime Minister to look them squarely into their eyes and say—No. The government must act to protect its investment, the government must act to preserve the share price of BTC and not commit them for sale to 4 Liberty. It is reserved for the Bahamian people. After all, the sale of BTC shares to the public was promised is in keeping with the FNM’s election commitment to Bahamians”.
The BCPOU is the sole bargaining unit for line-staff at BTC.
