BPSU Gives Govt. 14-Day Ultimatum

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Ministry of Finance employees claim they are being overlooked for promotions and reclassifications in the government’s massive public service promotions exercise.

Now the Bahamas Public Services Union (BPSU) is giving government 14 days to address their concerns.

Berthony McDermott reports.

The BPSU is giving the government 14 days to rectify the promotions and reclassification of more than 250 finance and accounting officers.

Union president, Kimsley Ferguson says the former administration amended the salary scales, making way for their salaries to be increased.

However, he says the Davis administration is choosing a different path.

The BPSU president pointed to the memorandum of understanding signed by Prime Minister Philip Davis while in opposition to addressing issues like this.

Ferguson says the union has been unable to get a meeting to address the concerns.

While the Davis administration has only been in office for eight months Ferguson says he believes that’s enough time to address concerns that go back for years.

His sentiments were echoed by employees who say they feel overlooked, as they dealt with the salaries of the many who received promotions since the new day government took office.

Meanwhile, Ferguson is calling on the prime minister and the minister responsible, Fred Mitchell, to intervene in this matter.

In Response

Minister responsible for the Public Service Pia Glover-Rolle issuing a statement, saying:

“Civil servants across the service are all concerned about the same thing. Which is why this administration has committed to aggressively addressing these matters and have been doing so.”

Glover-Rolle explained no group is favored over the other, and government is moving as quickly as it receives the necessary recommendations from any ministries.