The Tribune

By AVA TURNQUEST

and RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporters

FORMER press secretary for Prime Minister Perry Christie, Latrae Rahming said yesterday he has written to Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis seeking answers over his dismissal from the Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Corporation.

Mr Rahming was among 13 workers dismissed last Friday, a disengagement exercise the corporation confirmed was part of an ongoing "comprehensive review" of operations by management and its board of directors.

The dismissals came as a shock to some, and were characterised as "politically motivated" by Progressive Liberal Party Leader Philip "Brave" Davis, and PLP Chairman Fred Mitchell.

When asked whether he felt the firings were politically motivated, Mr Rahming said: "I don't think it was, but because of my contract. If you are a new chairman and you're coming into a corporation and there are fiscal challenges, in that situation the employment you look at are ones where arrangements are easier to end. In doing this, there should be a case-by-case evolution as to how the individual contributes to a corporation, or entity, or ministry.

"It's a part of their (the Free National Movement administration) economic policy but the government still has to achieve a particular agenda. If you have people that can help with agenda, it's counterproductive."

According to a BAIC statement on Friday, the categories for dismissal were: redundancy; contractual; probation; and for cause, according to the BAIC statement.

Mr Rahming told The Tribune his dismissal was contractual and he would be paid one month's salary in lieu of notice.

"As of today (Sunday)," Mr Rahming said, "I have sent a letter to the prime minister that I was confused. I understand the corporation is going through its challenges, but why would I be a part of it if I was contributing?"

On Friday, Mr Davis, along with Mr Mitchell, supported several of the terminated employees, who they identified as PLP supporters.

According to Mr Davis, the letters given out on Friday ranged from outright termination to recommendations to take leave. He added many of the letters he reviewed didn't exhibit just cause for dismissal.

Anthon Thompson, a senior manager with responsibility for the Animal Feed Mill, told The Tribune employees were informed of their termination or asked to take substantial pay cuts to stay with the corporation.

Senior executives of BAIC remained inside the complex for much of the time, with security officials attached to the corporation restricting the press and other concerned people to a small parking lot opposite the building.

"This is a complete travesty," said Mr Thompson, an employee for some 15 years.

Mr Thompson said he was a striving young Bahamian with a family, and urged the government to step in and make right on its promise to be the government of the people.

He said he was shocked by the firings, but also the manner in which they were handled.

Asked about his career at BAIC, he said: "I am a hardworking individual who has gotten results, after results, after results for this corporation."

Mr Thompson added: "I have a stellar record in this corporation. I have been used, I have been abused and I have not been appreciated in this corporation; and I can provide you with the records to prove that."

According to Mr Thompson, his efforts at BAIC's Fish and Farm store recovered thousands of dollars in lost profits.

"I went into that entity, within three months, within six months, nine months I turned profits around to hundreds of thousands of dollars on behalf of the Bahamian people," he said.

"You know what they tried to do to me? They tried to replace me with a gentleman almost of 60 years of age."

Mr Thompson said as a result of that move, he was moved to the Animal Feed Mill, another section he said he helped transform.

"I show up to work, do what I have to do, I keep law and order in the place, I make recommendations to bring efficiency and effectiveness up; and this is the result for me at the end of the day."

Mr Thompson said: "I am being pushed on the unemployment line unfairly and unjustly."

He said: "This is unacceptable and I say to you, Dr Hubert Minnis, the prime minister of this nation, I am looking forward to you, I am calling on you to correct this wrong.

"This is nonsense. You said it is 'the people's time.' I am a Bahamian so I am a part of the people and I am calling on you, sir, as prime minister of this country to call in to account BAIC's executive board, BAIC's Chairman Michael Foulkes, BAIC's general manager and all persons who had a hand in this nasty thing that happened to me today (Friday).

"I have a family to feed. I am a responsible parent. I take care of my bills. I am a contributing citizen of this country. I do not deserve this. This is wrong, correct this, sir. Prove to me and to Bahamians that it is really the people's time," he said.

On Friday morning, The Tribune saw several other employees leave BAIC's office with termination letters.

Mr Davis said: "We are appalled by the actions of the government in allowing these things to happen. They won the hearts of the Bahamian people, to support them on theme that it is 'the people's time,' but clearly, truly today it is not the people's time, it is more the bottom-line time."

According to recent labour statistics, unemployment has slightly increased from 9.9 percent to 10.1 percent, with numbers showing a loss of 2,555 jobs in the public sector.

Attorney General Carl Bethel has suggested the cuts have saved the country $75 million.

The revelation and the subsequent defence of the cuts have been branded as "shameful" and "hypocritical" by both political and labour observers.

BAIC Chairman Michael Foulkes could not be reached for comment on the firings up to press time.