The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

The Bahamas Telecommunications Company's (BTC) chief executive yesterday said there have been no recent discussions on further staff downsizing, although this was an "open-ended conversation" given increased competition.

Leon Williams said there had been no talks between himself and BTC's parent, Liberty Global, emphasising: "There have been no discussions of downsizing by my bosses to me.

"Notwithstanding we have our challenges, I can testify that we have always operated in a very cordial way, and we have always sought the betterment of Bahamians within this country and within this company," he added.

"Just a few weeks ago, the last seven expats that were on work permits working at BTC exited the company. BTC is now managed purely by 100 per cent Bahamians. It's probably the first time in more than 30 years that we have no expats at the executive level of BTC."

The company currently has 600 employees, and Mr Williams said BTC is now awaiting an industrial agreement proposal from the Bahamas Communications and Public Officers Union (BCPOU), which represents its line staff.

Bernard Evans, the BCPOU's president, said the proposal was due to be submitted yesterday. He added that he did not anticipate or see the need for any further downsizing despite competition from Aliv in the mobile sector, arguing that previous post-privatization lay-offs have already prepared BTC for this.

Describing the issue as "closed for me", Mr Evans added: "Prior to the sale of BTC, Cable and Wireless told the then-administration that they could not go into competition with the head count so they offered separation packages under the guise that this is why they were offloading.

"Market forces dictate that 30 per cent of the market share would go with the advent of the competitor coming in. What happened since 2011 until now is BTC has lost 900, if not 1,000, employees in preparation for competition. As far as we see it, we prepared for that.

"We don't anticipate, we don't want it, we don't see the justification for it. As far as we are concerned BTC made those provisions, anticipating those losses, and so we have made those efforts to ensure that when competition came we would be able to ride out that storm until it levelled off."