FORMER Labour and National Insurance Minister Shane Gibson.
By NEIL HARTNELL
Tribune Business Editor
nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
SHANE Gibson ordered Bahamas Power & Light (BPL) to pay a collective $1.44m “lump sum” bonus to all its staff just eight days before the May 10 general election, Tribune Business can reveal.
E-mails obtained by this newspaper show that the then-minister of labour and national insurance “directed” top BPL executives and the former Board to make the payments by May 5, 2017, so that the energy monopoly’s unions maintained “parity” with their public sector counterparts.
The documents show that the payments were rapidly calculated, authorised and paid within a four-day period following Mr Gibson’s directive.
A May 2, 2017, email from now-terminated BPL chief executive, Pamela Hill, to a senior human resources executive, stated: “I have been advised that the Minister of Labour has directed BPL to provide a one-time lump sum payment, equal to an increment, payable to all staff in both unions.”
That same evening, Donna Smith, BPL’s then vice-chair, obtained confirmation from Mr Gibson that his instructions were correct, while also revealing that former deputy prime minister, Philip Davis, who had ministerial responsibility for BPL, “has no objection” to the payment being made.
Ms Smith wrote that “it would appear that we are obliged in the circumstances” to make the payment, and added: “I am asking DPM and Minister of Labour to confirm knowledge of, and agreement with, above matters so that payments may be made without further delay.”
Mr Gibson provided his confirmation two hours later. Neither Mr Gibson nor Mr Davis could be contacted for comment yesterday, and the latter did not respond to Tribune Business e-mails.
Many observers are likely to interpret the BPL ‘payment’ and its timing as a ‘vote-grabbing’ bid by the former Christie administration. However, Paul Maynard, the Bahamas Electrical Workers Union’s (BEWU) president, yesterday told Tribune Business there was “nothing sinister” about the one-time payment, and denied it was politically motivated.
He explained that the one-off lump sum payments, which were as high as $1,500 for some BPL staff, were part of what he negotiated on the BEWU union’s behalf in 2014.
Mr Maynard said its industrial agreement stipulated that if any other public service union was to receive more favourable payments and benefits, then the BEWU would receive the same by May 2017.
He added that the BEWU’s ‘Most Favoured Nation’ clause kicked-in when the Water & Sewerage Corporation union received a lump sum equal to one increment, requiring that his members receive the same treatment.
“I asked for it and I got it,” Mr Maynard told Tribune Business of the May 5 payment to BPL staff. “As soon as they [the Water Corp union] got it, I asked for it. I said: ‘You owe me that because you gave it to them.
“As soon as they got that extra, I went and told the Deputy Prime Minister and Shane: ‘You gave them that; you’ve got to give me that’. They said: ‘No problem; we’ll do it.’ They promised it to me, and they delivered.”
Mr Maynard suggested the timing so close to the May 10 general election was a coincidence, since he had asked for the payment to be made around the end of the union’s contract year on April 30.
“It just happened that there was a general election on May 10,” he told Tribune Business. “There was nothing sinister about it.”
Asked whether the payment may have been politically motivated, Mr Maynard replied: “No, it wasn’t. Elections are over; it’s time to get on with it. They promised it to me; they gave it to me. That was that.”
The BPL resolution drafted to authorise the one-off ‘lump sum’ payment states that it is designed to “maintain parity among the government corporations”, and that Mr Gibson agreed in March 2015 that if any other public sector union obtained a better industrial agreement then the BPL unions would receive the same.
Tribune files show that the industrial agreement with the Water & Sewerage Corporation’s line staff, triggering the BPL union payment, was signed in August 2015 - almost two years before the May 5 payment.
However, Mr Maynard said the payments to Water & Sewerage Corporation staff - which took them above their BPL counterparts - were only made at the beginning of 2017.
The documents obtained by Tribune Business show that no formal BPL Board meeting was called to discuss the payment. Illustrating the rushed nature of the payment, Lenise Flowers, BPL’s corporate secretary, informed directors by e-mail on May 4: “Your urgent approval, or otherwise, is requested.
“Should you not provide a response by 12 noon today, it will be deemed that you have no objection to the following resolution” authorising the $1.439 million payment.
BPL’s then-chairman, Nathaniel Beneby, and fellow directors Andrew Rogers; Patricia Hermanns; and Deepak Bhatnagar all gave their approval via e-mail, despite the latter revealing he had only just seen it because he was in a plane.
The original payment resolution was also amended by Mr Beneby to say that BPL’s manager, PowerSecure, had agreed to the payment. The final draft included the words “the management company has considered and agreed to honour the said promise”, although there is nothing to suggest its director on the Board, Ronnie Brannen, had approved it.
Marisa Mason-Smith, BPL’s assistant general manager of training and human resources, warned Ms Hill in a May 3, 2017, midnight e-mail that the payment would run afoul of BPL internal audit procedures without official approval from the Board or herself.
“Failure may result in human resources getting an infraction regarding non-compliance,” she said. “I am in the process of working on this assignment now, and will do my best to meet the deadline, but would be very grateful for your confirmation and/or directions.
“Employees have been beating me and my team to the ground that this payment is due on Friday. Overtime will be included if my team gets this out by Friday.”
Comments
TalRussell 7 years, 4 months ago
Comrades! { Sweet Mother Jesus, tell me it ain't so - that it is all made up? }. How low can you fall....you tell me?
Have you ever before heard anything like this ‘Most Favoured Nation’ clause kicked-in $1.5 million - when Nurses went unpaid and school children's meals were not being funded?
Are you telling me that the Crown does not have a legal avenue to go after the personal assets of all the elected and non-elected individuals to recoup the peoples $1.5 million? Unbelievable that some think they are fit to run for their party's elected positions? Just showing your faces walking down any public street should be shameful enough - or so you'd thought?
Just maybe the smart move would be for the party's general membership to petition the court to declare their once great party - insolvent? How else can you stop such actions?
lucaya 7 years, 4 months ago
Sense the passion/anger of TalRussell on this particular article😲
Well_mudda_take_sic 7 years, 4 months ago
Shane Gibson, Brave Davis, Nathaniel Beneby, Andrew Rogers, Patricia Hermanns and Deepak Bhatnagar all need to be royally castigated for the duplicitous role they seem to have willingly played in the corrupt Christie-led PLP government's grand election fraud scheme to "buy" as many PLP votes as possible only days before the last general election. Although this grand election fraud scheme had the objective of "buying" PLP votes, it also had the alternative fail-safe objective of financially crippling the next government if the PLP were unsuccessful in winning another five-year term. In other words, the corrupt Christie-led PLP government took the position that they should go all out in an effort to buy PLP votes with our tax dollars, no matter what the cost. This was done recognizing that the worst possible thing that could happen would be for the PLP to lose the general election but then at least the new incoming government would find the cupboard completely bare and be unable to govern for the next five years, thereby setting the stage for the PLP to return to power. Yes indeed, this was all a well contrived scheme of election fraud perpetrated by the last government on a grand conniving scale, with many accomplices including the likes of all those named by me above. Carl Bethel had better be re-sharpening his pencil as the dots are now being quickly connected on all too many dastardly fronts!
TalRussell 7 years, 4 months ago
Comrade Mudda_take_sic, I am thinking that soon former PM Christie will want protect his place in Bahamaland's history and speak out about what he knew or didn't know was going on under his watch? I'd be shocked if the Crown doesn't summon the former PM to testify in the upcoming criminal trials?
Reality_Check 7 years, 4 months ago
Didn't Minnis recently appoint Deepak Bhatnagar to be serve as a director on several government boards!!!! This worthless 'yes master' guy who will sing any song and do anything for his supper should be immediately sacked from all government posts that he currently holds....he should never receive another tax payer dollar of compensation and/or benefits of any kind from the people's purse! Minnis must act on this, and act now....not later. Wherever Deepak served in the last government, there's was way too much smoke...and we all know what that means!!!
OMG 7 years, 4 months ago
Everything was timed to happen just before the election, like the hirings,contracts etc. How long do these PLP idiots expect to lie to us.
jujutreeclub 7 years, 4 months ago
Who is this Bhatnager that no government seems to get rid off. He is involved in everything around here. They need to take him off every board in this country. He seems to be too involved. Is he that good? Can't the government find a replacement for him or do he have the "most favored Nation clause also in his contract for life. Need to be investigated.
Sickened 7 years, 4 months ago
I'm thinking that he either does the nasty with these big wigs or he has pictures of them doing the nasty with other big wigs. Something fishy in the market!
TalRussell 7 years, 4 months ago
Comrades! What about if they would've used the $1.5 million for some ‘Most Favoured Nation’ compassion for CLICO's unpaid policy holders? Wasn't there not just one BEC/BPL Executive, who should've rungs the alarm bell over the rush to payout $1.5 million in Bonuses? This is so sick!!
ThisIsOurs 7 years, 4 months ago
Yep as I thought, Pam Hill and BPL were scapegoats for the administrationS
spoitier 7 years, 4 months ago
They can't pay the police their overtime but they could give out bonuses to BPL/BEC employees, they need to investigate the unions to see if any kickbacks was given to Shame Gibson.
DDK 7 years, 4 months ago
.........and to people who can't keep the power on and destroy everyone's equipment and appliances when it is on.
BahamasForBahamians 7 years, 4 months ago
No news here Tribune Writer.
Shane Gibson's notoriety was fully maximized at the Bank Lane Shuffle. Bahamian's were happy to see him hauled before courts.
Given that he is now in the hands of the legal fraternity and justice system, no longer can his actions be used to deflect from the government of the day.
What is being done to FIX these problems inherited and improve the life of every day Bahamians?
Bahamians are still uneducated and unemployed.
Alex_Charles 7 years, 4 months ago
Bring back the death Penalty. I stood against it previously... but these fellas making me change my mind. We need some legislation on embezzlement that the ultimate punishment is the death penalty. No more hanging, death by firing squad if found guilty in a court of law and after all appeals are exhausted.
Clamshell 7 years, 4 months ago
This would be easier to swallow if any of these unions could actually keep the power on and the water flowing. There are locales on Eleuthera that haven't had water for months. Recently had a 12-hour power blackout. Maybe the staff were all out celebrating with their bonuses.
SP 7 years, 4 months ago
More warlocks than witches have been revealed. No wonder Brave Davis and Pillage Loot Plunder tried to derail the investigations!
Let the witch hunt continue.
BahamaPundit 7 years, 4 months ago
I disagree BahamasForBahamians. All the darkness needs to be brought to light for the people to see. All of us here, me especially, spent the last five years crying and shaking in rage about the criminal deeds the PLP were engaged in. This is sweet justice for us. Everything must be brought to light!!! It is especially relevant because we are gradually getting a full picture of just how deep the corruption penetrated. So many persons were complicit with the PLP in stealing the people's money.
BahamasForBahamians 7 years, 4 months ago
Yes including many FNMS the one sided approach has resonated in right thinking Bahamian minds as unbalanced and unfair though it is very necessary.
We don't expect a fair and balanced opinion from yourself Larry Smith, as you are lifetime supporter of the UBP and its principles and any party that inherits it.
this comment from another person may actually be worth a grain of salt, but from you .. its a hill of beans.
Naughtydread 7 years, 4 months ago
Why don't you go crawl back into that hole where you belong Fred Mitchell.
ThisIsOurs 7 years, 4 months ago
You didn't read what he said, but you disagreed. He said "Shane Gibson was a bad guy, people felt some vindication when he was charged. The country still has problems, let's fix those". What is wrong with that statement? To disagree is tantamount to saying I could have spent some time punishing my child and saving my house, but he make me so mad I let the house fall apart so I could punish him.
DDK 7 years, 4 months ago
PILLAGE LOOT PLUNDER! SHAMELESS!
realfreethinker 7 years, 4 months ago
Bahamas for Bahamians you are a typical plp or an apologist for them. All this shit these did you want the government to stop looking into. How the hell you expect the government to do so much with so little that your people left in the treasury
BahamasForBahamians 7 years, 4 months ago
I have no people and take no sides. I am bahamian first.
this is actually the problem with FNM spin doctors like yourself.
YOu guys are the executive of the country and have done nothing to progress or uplift the lives of ordinary Bahamians.
However Bahamas Hotmix and Cavalier Construction is on the move..
The fact that you see no issue with this governments lack of GOVERNANCE that tells you, you should perhaps get rid of your red FNM sunglasses and see the The Bahamas as it really is.
For God Sake Sidney Collie has pretty much apologized to the public for the lack of implementation of policy and governing after being in government an excess of 100 days! (more than enough time to table and pass legislation!)
Yes anti corruption initiatives are needed and applauded. However just as important are executive decisions and policies that can prevent our economy from collapse and curb the proliferation of criminal activity.
This government seems to have a priority for NONE.
This government will not be allowed to ride this 'arrest the opposition horse straight into 2022' while the economy fails and crime takes over and expect right thinking Bahamians to sit quiet!
Yes anti-corruption is needed and welcomed but that is NOT enough to run this country. Get to work!!
Your tone is similar to Papa in 2011.
BahamaPundit 7 years, 4 months ago
Just to be clear BahamasForBahamians, I am not Larry Smith. These posts are completely seperate from his operation.
Well_mudda_take_sic 7 years, 4 months ago
But most of us now know who BFB is which is why most of us no longer read anything BFB posts.
SP 7 years, 4 months ago
In case you haven't noticed the country is running, and more efficiently with fewer pirates stealing every nickel they can get their hands on!
Pillage Loot Plunder supposedly "ran the country", and with your blessings.There is no more important work than weeding out entrenched thieving pirates!
Honest people are very impressed so far. When forensic audits begin PM Sheriff Minnis will turn up the heat and beat more bushes in the hunt for these klepto witches and warlocks that have held us hostage for decades!
BahamasForBahamians 7 years, 4 months ago
The country is running? Where are you getting any indication of this?
The chairman of the governing party(FNM) thinks otherwise.. to an extent that he pretty much apologises for the performance or lack thereof. See article below:
http://www.thenassauguardian.com/news/7…
Just for the record as a member of parliament the core of your job is to create or vote on policy and legislation in the best interest of the people you represent.
Everything else is fanfare and pageantry. Go read the constitution on the role of an elected member of parliament in case you're unsure.
SP 7 years, 3 months ago
Here's where the "indication" the country is running comes from below:
http://www.tribune242.com/news/2017/aug…
Exactly what policies and legislation in the best interest of the people "you guys" represented, did the people any good? I know of none, which is why you all were terminated as members of parliament for totally failing at your core job!
SP 7 years, 4 months ago
I sense a Bank Lane Shuffle line dance is in the works!
Naughtydread 7 years, 4 months ago
I can't wait to see all these cck suckers locked up and shtting in buckets where they belong.
TalRussell 7 years, 4 months ago
.Comrades. Sorry, they're nothing but hypocrites who may have come from humble beginnings but allowed their elected and politically appointed positions to have caused them to go Blind Blake blind and lose touch with the daily hardships of the poor and the near poor.
They should be too damn ashamed to venture from behind the walls of their Gated Communities with 24 hour security cause their days of playing statesman's and stateswoman's is over. They long ago must have stopped feeling compassion for the poor and the near poor.... and they need be reminded of this..... and often.
How dare they present themselves for their party's elective office?
The party's General Membership, should rally together to pass a resolution make this clear to them and have it carved in stone!
Amen!!
realfreethinker 7 years, 4 months ago
Bfn you are nothing but a plp koolaid drinker. Please take off your yellow tainted glasses and see them for who they are thieves and pirates. The little scraps that your plp kleptos left is all the doctor has to work with
realfreethinker 7 years, 4 months ago
Bfb you are nothing but a plp koolaid drinker. Please take off your yellow tainted glasses and see them for who they are thieves and pirates. The little scraps that your plp kleptos left is all the doctor has to work with
B_I_D___ 7 years, 4 months ago
Birdie is painfully quiet on this one!
realfreethinker 7 years, 4 months ago
Shane is his/her boy.
concernedcitizen 7 years, 4 months ago
2 .4 billion on the debt and thats w/ never before billion in VAT revenue ...Not one large infastructure project or any increase in stopover visitors .The icing on the cake is every penny these crooks stole was borrowed money in the name of The Bahamian people ,that has to be paid back on our backs with interest . So if they stole ,wasted and gave family ,lovers and friends two billion of our money it will cost use much more once you add in the interest
Baha10 7 years, 4 months ago
This appears to be fraud to which the Board appears complicit, in which RBC and Family Guardian are obliged for the sake of Customer and Investor confidence to fire both Messrs. Beneby and Hermans forthwith as their respective Heads!
ThisIsOurs 7 years, 4 months ago
I agree with "the board is complicit". They had no meetings to discuss whether the company could afford this payout. They just said "ok, if that's what you want". Yes men. I suspect that practice is still in place. Ministers dictating what the boards do, why would DR Minnis appoint 10 MPs to boards????
sheeprunner12 7 years, 4 months ago
It is shameful when you look at these so-called respectable private sector leaders like Beneby (at RBC) being so reckless and irresponsible with the spending of public sector/corporation funds ............. I agree with Bana10 ......... Is there no recourse for these poor decisions??????
MonkeeDoo 7 years, 4 months ago
It is high time now for RBC to retire Nat Beneby who has shown himself to be unethical and bereft of any sensibility. Fire his incompetent arse. And Andrew Rodgers should close Nassau Glass and stay at Ocean Club the rest of his life.These people are less than the basest animals in this country. Patricia Hermans could carry her crooked arse out of here too. My God. All should be jailed.
John 7 years, 4 months ago
The country could not have survived much longer with this level of corruption.
John 7 years, 4 months ago
Been calling BPL since June to check my house. Lights were dipping and fridge, a/c. Tv' even cordless phones stopped working. Electrician inspected the house and found nothing wrong. For weeks BEC did not even acknowledge my calls. Then they says they been to check the problem but no one was home. Then finally they called and said the problem was not in the house but through the corner where I lived. Despite that I now have to replace or repair all the equipment that was damaged.
John 7 years, 4 months ago
So BPL took 3 months to respond to what was a potentially harzardous situation.
OldFort2012 7 years, 4 months ago
I think very few people here understand how companies and corporations work. The majority owner of BPL is the Government of the Bahamas. Just as in any private business, when the owner gives an instruction to an employee, it has to be carried out, whatever the employee might think about it. The Board checked Gibson's instructions with Brave. They left all the documentation & correspondence in place, to ensure transparency. That is about all that they could have done. I suppose they could have resigned. But that would have left them open to claims of political interference and wide open to all kinds of retribution had the PLP won. In attacking the management for carrying out a lawful instruction from the business owner (however morally reprehensible), people are just missing the point. The only responsibility here lies with Gibson and Davis. Davis cannot escape at least political responsibility, if not criminal. He is finished.
Baha10 7 years, 4 months ago
The point is Messrs. Beneby and Hermans did not resign and were thereby complicit in fraud, which begs the question as to how they run RBC and Family Guardian?!? Andrews is in a slightly different position, as Nassau Glass is his personal Comany, whereas Beneby and Hermans are responsible for making decisions concerning "other" peoples money, hence the "supposedly" enhanced fiduciary duties.
ThisIsOurs 7 years, 3 months ago
No there is something they could have done, they could have resigned.
John 7 years, 4 months ago
What I don't understand is the people who be beating up on Bahamians 24/7. Calling us violet/nt predators, sub-humans, thieves, incompetent, corrupt etc., But the minute a foreigner is caught in a compromised position, and many are, they say Bahamians are using foreigners for scapegoats. Foreigners are just as corrupt and dishonest. In fact many come to the Bahamas believing they can get away with their scams.
Truism 7 years, 4 months ago
BPL was legally bound to make the payment as the union negotiated a most favoured nation contract. Once WSC workers were paid BPL workers had to be paid. No government corporation workers could be given a better deal than BPL workers. That is what the article says.
Sickened 7 years, 4 months ago
I would like to know who agreed to that 'most favored union' shit! That was probably Shame as well.
stoner 7 years, 4 months ago
Like I said in the past, the Bahamians are not well educated and move very slow when it come to work in the work environment. However, when it comes to stealing ,they are the best that I have ever seen. Where that skill comes from I will never know but they are sure as hell they are the best in this field of expertise .
Truism 7 years, 4 months ago
We are duncee. The story points to a union being granted favoured nation status (ie. Sun/Atlantis) and the commentary in no way relate to the story. Barking at print. SAD
Baha10 7 years, 4 months ago
You are actually the one missing the point, W&S payment occurred nearly 2 years prior and irrespective of "most favored status", which in itself should have been challenged or at least, "questioned", this BPL payment occurred "immediately" prior to a General Election, making the timing completely unacceptable and most likely fraudulent, yet signed off on by a complicit Board "without question" who are accordingly also accountable for such malfeasance. Hope you now get the point.
Truism 7 years, 3 months ago
W&S payment timing is also referenced in the article. You've just confirmed what you found offensive.
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