The Tribune

THE wife of Deputy Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis, Ann Marie, is suing a company of which he served as director before the 2012 general election.

Mrs Davis who served as financial controller under Mr Davis’ directorship, is claiming the sum of $169,319.62, damages, costs, interest and “further relief” for wrongful dismissal from a group of companies – First Fund Services, IM&A Services Ltd, MRG Bahamas Ltd.

The group of companies are used interchangeably by APV Trust, for administrative purposes. APV Trust is a company set up to manage the trust of the embattled millionaire Weissfisch brothers. Amir Weissfisch, who ran Metals Resources Group (MRG) with his elder brother Rami Weisfisch, are embroiled in a protracted

legal battle over profits from this business.

According to court documents Mrs Davis earned $65,000 a year until she left employment with MRG Bahamas on or about May/June 2004. Subsequent to this she made new arrangements with IM&A Services to be paid on a part-time, hourly basis.

Mrs Davis makes the claim that sometime in May 2004 a dispute arose in the offices she worked in and was told to go home as the “office environment may become unpleasant.” She continued to receive her monthly salary until December 2004.

Only July 4, 2005 Mrs Davis made inquiries on the status of her employment with the company as well as requesting that her salary be brought up to date. The letter was addressed to Mr Davis in his capacity as director of MRG Bahamas Ltd. IM&A Services Ltd paid her salary from January 2005 to June 2005.

IM&A continued to pay her salary until sometime in January 2007 when a disagreement arose as to her salary in relation to what she viewed as an increase in the duties that she was asked to perform.

At the time of the dispute Mrs Davis offered to tender her resignation but was persuaded to remain with the company. Subsequent to this she was paid at the rate of $70 per hour as she had previously requested. The increased salary was a verbal agreement that became effective January 2007.

Sometime later, her salary payment was switched from being paid by IM&A Services Ltd to being paid by First Fund Services Ltd. Sometime in July 2009 her hourly rate was increased by five per cent to $73.50 per hour.

Sometime in January 2011 she was informed that her work hours would be reduced subsequently to 12-hours per week. Mrs Davis said that this came as a surprise to her as she knew of the trust court action between the Weissfisch brothers.

Mrs Davis refused to accept these conditions on the grounds that it would be impossible for her to meet her commitments.

Subsequent to this, Mrs Davis said that her presence in the office was questioned – with regard as to why she was keeping her regular hours – and she replied that there was no new written agreement concerning her new hours of work.

On January 10, 2011 at 6:18pm Mrs Davis received an e-mail informing her that she was not to report to work and that her severance pay should be calculated effective December 2010.

“I worked for over 11 years in the Associated Company and the benefits accrued to me since I was unfairly dismissed are $157,174 as stated in my statement of claim I consider this settlement to be reasonable as I was terminated without cause,” Mrs Davis has said in her defence.

Obie Ferguson is counsel for Mrs Davis and Rawson McDonald is the lawyer for the companies.

The case is being heard before Justice Milton Evans.