The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

FREEPORT - Michelle Reckley, deputy director of Urban Renewal, accused the FNM of "playing politics" and misleading the public over the 40 ousted workers on Grand Bahama.

During a press conference at the Office of the Prime Minister yesterday, Ms Reckley said the PLP has not victimised anyone in the Urban Renewal programme.

She noted that the contracts of those individuals will expire at the end of June.

"I just want to respond and set the record straight on allegations made by the FNM group; absolutely nobody was terminated by the PLP government," she said.

"If someone works from a contract and it expires on June 30, then the government has the right to let persons know that the contract is up and it would not be renewed."

Ms Reckley said the FNM ought to be ashamed of misleading the Bahamian public.

When the PLP lost in 2007, she claimed, the FNM victimised and terminated all 60 Urban Renewal workers in Grand Bahama.

The FNM, she said, showed no compassion to those workers, including Lorraine Newbold, who in hospital at the time and terminated without compensation and notice.

"I want to say to Mr Turnquest, Mr Grant, Mr Bain, Mrs Parker-Edgecombe and Mr Thompson, to please cease with the politics," Mrs Reckley said.

"The election is behind us. We want to get on with our work of mending broken homes, and making our children safe in the schools."

The FNM MPs and former candidates claim the PLP is contributing to the already high unemployment situation on Grand Bahama by not renewing the contracts of the 40 workers.

Ms Reckley stated that all those individuals may re-apply to Urban Renewal.

She said the FNM's Urban Renewal programme is not the vision of the new Prime Minister.

In addition to the poor upkeep of the centres, she claims some workers used to leave early or not show up at all.

Ms Reckley said Urban Renewal is already helping several homeless families in Grand Bahama.

"The FNM said that there were no persons here living on beaches, but I have already identified three families who we will be finding accommodations for very soon," she said.