The Tribune

By SANCHESKA DORSETT

Tribune Staff Reporter

sdorsett@tribunemedia.net

NATIONAL Congress of Trade Unions Bahamas (NCTUB) President Bernard Evans said yesterday the union would not participate in any “national strike” initiated by organisers of ‘We March Bahamas’.

However, Mr Evans, who is also the president of the Bahamas Communications and Public Officers Union (BCPOU), said he is willing to sit with lead organiser Ranard Henfield and his team to discuss past and future protests.

Last Thursday, ‘We March Bahamas’ organisers threatened to initiate a national strike if Prime Minister Perry Christie does not give a national address on steps to meet protest demands by Thursday.

In a letter to Mr Christie and copied to the media, Mr Henfield said that if Mr Christie met some of the demands in good faith, via a public address by December 8, he was prepared to convene a meeting with the more than 40 affiliated organisations and the media to discuss controversial issues.

On Friday, a day after the story was published, Mr Henfield backtracked and insisted that he does not possess the power to “shut the country down” and that there was no national strike planned for Friday.

In a series of posts on Facebook, Mr Henfield said the talk of a national strike was contained in a “private email” to the media and was “taken out of context.”

However the email Mr Henfield referred to was sent to the media by wemarchbahamas@gmail.com with a subject line that read “national strike looms”.

“We are prepared to (initiate) a national strike in one week should the PM not publicly address the nation on what he has done since Black Friday to advance these issues that affect the people of the Bahamas,” the email signed by Mr Henfield said, as he thanked the media for its coverage of We March Bahamas.

Yesterday, Mr Evans said he commends Mr Henfield’s efforts but said there is a “right way” to “go about doing things”.

“He (Mr Henfield) previously spoke with the outgoing president John Pinder but I have not had an opportunity to meet with him,” Mr Evans, who was recently elected to the NCTUB post, said.

“There are procedures we have to follow, there is a way we have to do things - a right way. Mr Henfield called me and I invited him to sit down with us and explain the purpose behind the protests. We have not committed to anything.

“Marching is our thing, a union thing and to be fair to him we will give him an audience to explain his plans. There are so many factors, so many different causes were present at the last march. There were so many different concerns, some valid points, some we aren’t so sure about. The unions have a procedure to follow and if there is a protest or strike planned for Friday, we are not part of that. I do not see that.”

Meanwhile, NCTUB Vice-President Paul Maynard said now is “not the time” to ask people not to go to work.

“People had a hard year and Christmas time is a time for people to make money,” Mr Maynard told The Tribune. “You have to understand unions have to be responsible in what we do. Our members do not want to take a cut during Christmas time.

“If you walk off the job it is called a wildcat strike and the government can fire you if they want. They can use the Emergency Powers Act and fire you. There is a way to do things; people must understand that.”

‘We March Bahamas’ organisers issued a list of 23 non-partisan demands to the Prime Minister and several of his Cabinet ministers on November 9, and again on November 22. Mr Christie responded to organisers by letter on November 24, in which he invited leaders to meet with him at his office. However this offer was rejected.

Just over 1,000 protestors marched from Arawak Cay to Rawson Square on November 25. Organisers have another march slated for the 50th anniversary Majority Rule Day on January 9, but have dubbed the day “United People Day”.

The letter sent to Mr Christie on Thursday outlined more than 30 demands.