The Tribune

By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Deputy Chief Reporter

krussell@tribumedia.net

LABOUR Minister Dion Foulkes has emphatically denied recent terminations at the Bahamas Agricultural & Industrial Corporation were politically motivated, telling The Tribune to suggest otherwise is “totally inaccurate and baseless”.

Thirteen employees were terminated from BAIC on Friday with the dismissals ranging from longstanding employees to recently confirmed workers. Among them, Mr Foulkes said, were also Free National Movement (FNM) supporters.

Progressive Liberal Party Leader Philip “Brave” Davis has branded the dismissals as “politically motivated” as they shocked some who were affected.

However in an interview with this newspaper yesterday, the labour minister hit back at this assertion and insisted it was not how the FNM government operated.

“As a matter of policy the FNM government does not terminate based on political affiliation,” said Mr Foulkes.

“No-one’s employment comes to an end because of political affiliation. That is something that we just do not do. So any accusation along those lines is totally inaccurate and baseless. Whatever criteria that was used by BAIC to end the employment of those persons had nothing to do with political affiliation.

“I emphatically deny this.”

He continued: “Some of them were on contract, but I can say without a shadow of a doubt that we do not end employment based on political affiliation. Number one it is unconstitutional and number two it is just immoral.

“The fact of the matter is from what I am told is some of those affected were known supporters for both parties so that makes absolutely no sense.”

In a statement issued by BAIC Friday, the corporation confirmed the disengagement exercise was part of an ongoing “comprehensive review” of operations by management and its board of directors.

Categories for dismissal were: redundancy; contractual; probation; and for cause, according to the BAIC statement.

Sources interviewed by The Tribune confirmed eight employees were expected to be terminated as of 3pm Friday, but suggested that number could increase to as many as 20 “pending circumstances”.

Officers from the Royal Bahamas Police Force were called in to keep the peace after several workers were reportedly blocked from entering the building.

Mr Davis, along with PLP Chairman Fred 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.

Among the fired persons was Latrae Rahming, press secretary to former Prime Minister Perry Christie. On Sunday, Mr Rahming said he had written to Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis seeking answers about his dismissal.