The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

LONG Island MP and Shadow Minister for Labour Loretta Butler-Turner said she is “astounded” by the impending staff layoffs at the Bahamas Telecommunications Company, adding that “problems” facing the company stem from the management and CEO Leon Williams.

Early last year Mrs Butler-Turner and then Free National Movement Chairman Darron Cash warned of an impending mass layoff at BTC. These claims were denied by BTC and members of the Christie administration.

Mr Cash yesterday said BTC’s impending layoffs gave credibility to the FNM’s ability to “speak truth”.

Meanwhile, Mrs Butler-Turner lamented that the Christie administration appears willing to accept the proposed BTC downsizing even though the PLP when in opposition protested the proposed “workforce restructuring” that took place at BTC to prepare for privatisation.

“When the shoe was on the other foot and we said we needed to downsize to make BTC competitive, these were the voices saying we were talking nonsense and there was no reason we can’t be competitive. What has changed since then besides the CEO?” she asked.

“Before he was placed in that position they were talking about preserving the jobs of Bahamians; now a Bahamian is at the helm and what has changed?

“I am very concerned because I had said to them I had serious concerns about this new management and CEO being put in place at BTC. When the foreigner was in place he grew the workforce at the company by adding an additional 144 people before being kicked out. Now the Bahamian is there who should be looking at the interests of the Bahamian people and making sure they are met and yet they are about to go through a downsizing exercise all while looking to expand into television and other areas. It makes me wonder what is going on with the company.”

She said: “This will only cause greater unemployment and put some of these people on Social Service’s lines and in a position where they don’t know where their money is going to come from. I am very, very astounded by this.”

Mr Cash, speaking about the impending layoffs, highlighted the long line of job hunters that attended a job fair at Sandals yesterday.

The line and the news of BTC’s impending downsizing exercise show the PLP’s failure to live up to its promises, he said.

“The line of job hunters seemed to loop around the building. As always, the experience of observing my countrymen in need was bitter sweet. On the positive side it was encouraging to see the large number of Bahamians who continue to aggressively hunt for work. On the other hand the vivid experience of watching hundreds of Bahamians stand in this depressingly long line on one of the coldest days this winter was a reminder of how badly Prime Minister Christie has failed them. The spiraling line of job seekers represents the forgotten Bahamians that the prime minister likes to pretend does not exist every time new unemployment numbers come out.”

On Wednesday, Bahamas Communications and Public Officers Union (BCPOU) President Bernard Evans said the impending staff cuts are “shocking” and “insulting.” He said BTC employees are “distraught” over the rushed, “sneaky” way the company is handling the move.

He said he learned on Tuesday that BTC intends to offer voluntary separation packages to 150 to 250 workers to leave the company before the end of March, in preparation for the liberalisation of the mobile sector.

He said BTC is offering the separation packages to all staff with the hope of reducing the number of workers by March 31.