The Tribune

By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

LABOUR Minister Shane Gibson yesterday dismissed concerns by the security forces that they were “excluded” from the latest industrial agreement between the government and the Bahamas Public Service Union.

Speaking in the House of Assembly, Mr Gibson said the Police Staff Association, the Customs and Immigration Departments as well as prison officers will be covered under the agreement “the same way they were covered in the past”. However, he did say that some portions of the agreement would not cover those organisations.

His comments came after representatives from the “watchers and protectors of the nation” said they were surprised to learn that their respective organisations were “specifically” left out of the agreement.

“As for the increases and increments it covers the members of the Bahamas Public Service Union, the Royal Bahamas Police Force, the Defence Force, the prison officers, senior public officers, not covered by the BPSU, and also public officers in the public treasury will also receive the increases negotiated by the BPSU,” Mr Gibson said.

“So I need to be clear because you always have mischief makers who will cause you to believe that what happened in the past with these groups, will not happen now even though it is the tradition. When you look at the Police Staff Association, and the prison officers they really, by law, do not negotiate salaries and compensation, they relate their matters of concern with their department heads and the commissioner of police and the prison superintendent. So what they government usually does is when they negotiate with the BPSU it is extended to those persons and that is what is happening in this case.”

However, Mr Gibson said some allowances, like the rental allowance, will only be extended to members of the BPSU.

“As it related to the public service,” he said, “we signed an agreement with the BPSU where we were able to give them benefits, increase their increments and lump sum payments along with some allowances. One of the things that the employees complained about is the small amount of rental allowance they get when they relocate to the Family Islands, so we were able to work out a formula to increase the allowance given to persons who are working and living in the Family Islands.

“Unfortunately, it only covers those persons, in that regard, members of the BPSU or those who are associated with them.”

Two weeks ago, the government signed an industrial agreement with the BPSU to increase the minimum wage for nearly 2,000 members by $800 a year.