Bradley Roberts
By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
PROGRESSIVE Liberal Party chairman Bradley Roberts has “categorically” denied the Free National Movement’s claim that the Bahamas Telecommunications Company is set to begin a major outsourcing programme that could lead to job losses for Bahamians.
He also denied that the PLP has taken steps to put former BTC CEO Leon Williams back into his old post.
His comments were given on the Darold Miller Live show a day after FNM deputy leader Loretta Butler-Turner and FNM chairman Darron Cash sounded the alarm over what they claim to be a major restructuring exercise set to begin at BTC.
“I can categorically deny that any such exercise is being undertaken at BTC,” Mr Roberts said, adding: “This is utter garbage that is in the newspapers. I’m not aware of Leon Williams even being considered as CEO. (The FNM) is suggesting some deal was undertaken to get Leon Williams as CEO. They must be ashamed of their past in what they caused to happen to BTC where 600 jobs were lost. No Bahamian government would be party to Bahamians losing their jobs.”
When asked about the matter, Labour and National Insurance Minister Shane Gibson did not deny the FNM’s claims. Instead, he accused FNM officials of being hypocritical in their allegations.
Speaking to the press, Mr Gibson said: “I’m convinced now that something is wrong with Darron Cash’s head. Where was he when in 1992, when the FNM came to power, there were 2400 employees at BTC? Yet you now have them down to 600 – this all happened under the FNM – and all of a sudden now the light gone off in his head and he is worried about people losing their jobs? What happen to all the people that lost their jobs under the FNM? The time to be worried was back in 1992 when they came into office and they got rid of all those people who worked at Batelco.”
Asked by a reporter if job losses are expected at BTC, Mr Gibson said: “Listen here, I don’t know anything about any job losses. All I know is under the FNM, the employee count at Batelco went from 2400 down to about 700 and now all of a sudden they concerned. Were they concerned when they sent people home from ZNS? Were they concerned when they sent the police home? Immigration? Customs? Urban Renewal? Were they concerned when they were in office and Atlantis sent home 900 employees?”
Asked to ignore the FNM’s past and to confirm or deny if a restructuring exercise is being undertaken at BTC, Mr Gibson said: “You understand what I’m saying? I’m saying the time for the FNM to be concerned was when they allowed the count to go to 700. You cannot take the FNM out of the equation because the question was based on what Darron Cash said. I cannot dismiss the FNM now because you asked me the question based on what Darron Cash said. Darron Cash said explicitly he is concerned that because of the outsourcing at BTC, more persons will lose their jobs. I cannot comment on it because I know nothing about it. I could only comment on what Darron Cash said because I saw it in the papers. You know how many outsourcing went on under the FNM?”
When contacted, Mr Cash declined to respond to Mr Gibson’s comments.
Comments
Cobalt 10 years, 7 months ago
I'm not a fan of Mr Shane Gibson nor his PLP party. But in this case he is absolutely right. This whole mess at btc and the burden of responsibility to be bared with it rest squarely on the shoulders of the FNM government. Bahamians fought and protested the sale of btc; yet the FNM government did so anyway. Now they're trying to pass the blame in the wake of residual backlash and job losses for Bahamians. FNM members need to shut-up on this matter! This is their fault!
John 10 years, 7 months ago
Both parties have been warned that Cable and Wireless was not good for the Bahamas and not good for the Bahamian people, worker or consumer. NOW that Cable &Wireless is showing its true colors, as a greedy, profit gobbling monster, one that will cut any corner or cut any job or dismiss any employee to increase its bottom line, each side is blaming the other. What they really need to do is team up with each other and with the Bahamian people and kick this parasite out of the country. They have only spent money where it has increased profits to them. Service is still lacking in many areas, especially on the family islands and much needed revenue is now leaving the country in the form of profits to C&W for service that is less than lack luster.
SP 10 years, 7 months ago
Another former President being charged with treason.
http://news.yahoo.com/group-deputies-wa…
Hubert Ingraham's ticket will soon become due....HE CAN"T MISS IT!!
John 10 years, 7 months ago
DOES BTC HAVE A GAMING AND/OR LOTTERY LICENSE? Right now they are running one of the biggest games in town and have their customers all over the place begging for money to keep minutes on their phone so that they can play. You have to answer some trivia questions for a chance to win a car as the grand prize and to win other prizes. BUT GUESS WHAT? YOU HAVE TO PAY FIFTY CENTS EACH TIME YOU PLAY! So you say ok 50 cents is no big deal,,,,
SO LETS DO SOME QUICK MATHS: Lets say one third of BTC's Cellular customers (family islands included) are playing That is about 30,000 people. Lets say that BTC asks 6 trivia questions a day, so at 50 cents, each person who plays will spend $3.00 a day. So 30,000 players @ $3.00 a day is $90,000.00 (NINETY THOUSAND DOLLARS A DAY!) The Lottery/game is running for two weeks so $90,000.00 a day times 14 days is $1,260,000.00 ( One Million Two Hundred And Sixty Thousand Dollars). THAT IS HOW MUCH BTC WILL TAKE (RAKE) IN!!!
SO BTC CLAIMS THEY ARE GIVING AWAY A CAR AND OTHER PRIZES...Lets say the car costs $60,000.00 and the other prizes cost a total of $40,000.00 and say it costs BTC another $60,000.00 to run the game (did I say run a game?). That is a total of $160,000.00 expense wise. Now deduct that from the $1,260,000.00 they took in from the consumers who are playing the game. Rather than giving away a car and other prizes, BTC is actually SUCKING in $1,100,000.00 NET in TWO SHORT WEEKS! ELEVEN HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS AND THE PHONE SERVICE STILL SUCKS!
John 10 years, 7 months ago
Ok so BTC admits that is has been sending subscribers the same trivia questions 2, 3 4 and maybe as much as FIVE times a day. Every time a subscriber responds he/;she is charged 50 cents. So if a persons answers the questions 5 times he is charged $12.50! Imagine several thousand subscribers doing this or even answering the trivia questions twice or three times a day...THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO BTC! and no word if these people will be reimbursed.
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