The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) has approved just under 100 employee voluntary separation packages (VSEP), with a union chief suggesting it is due for a post-2011 privatisation 'report card'. Bernard Evans, the Bahamas Communications and Public Officers Union's (BCPOU) president, told Tribune Business: "We had a combination of maybe 20 managers and just over 75 line staff who were approved for the voluntary separation packages. Twenty persons were denied."

He added that BTC is seeking to reduce the age of its workforce in a bid to lower salary costs, and predicted the company would continue to streamline its operations as it continues to introduce technology requiring less physical labour, while consumers switch from landline to mobile services.

"We have been preaching to our members about the the trends of Liberty Global, BTC's parent company. We stay in constant contact with our brothers and sisters throughout Europe and the Caribbean. They want to harmonise and build synergies amongst all of their operations," said Mr Evans.

"The one saving grace we do have is that the Government has a stake in the company, and there are certain things the company should not do without government approval. I think that it's time now to take a look at what has happened since the privatisation process. I think there needs to be a report card on that entire process. We were opposed to it from the beginning. A lot of things were supposed to happen. We have not seen the lofty benefits so far. I think that was one of the biggest atrocities in Bahamian history.

"CWC purchased the BTC stake in 2011. There have been several changes at the head of BTC since then. There have been a number of downsizing exercises. Privatisation was supposed to prepare the company for competition. The Government still has its stake in BTC and a stake in NewCo [Aliv]. Is the Government competing against itself? I think it would be useful for us to look back over the years and see what has been gained."

Tribune Business sources suggested that BTC's immediate parent, Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC), and Liberty Global had been hoping up to 150 workers would qualify for the VSEP packages. This newspaper also understands that the exercise was initially scheduled for before Christmas, but the Government persuaded the company to hold off until the New Year.

BTC, in a statement last month, announced that as part of a "company wide" strategic approach to transform its business to a more "customer-centric, high performing organisation", it was making adjustments to how it runs its business.

This, the company, said included carrying out necessary network upgrades, placing more focus on training and development, and improving back office support to better serve customers.

"As part of this broader programme, BTC has implemented a voluntary separation programme (VSEP) to help ensure we have the right structure to succeed, and to address issues in a competitive environment," the company added.