The Tribune

By TANYA SMITH-CARTWRIGHT

tsmith-cartwright@tribunemedia.net

WHILE staff at the Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Corporation have complained about the style of the new management, BAIC’s new general manager Rocky Nesbitt said he is just trying to bring accountability and transparency to an area that is used to a slack culture.

The Tribune was informed that staff at BAIC allegedly walked off the job recently because of issues with Mr Nesbitt, who assumed his new post on July 1.

The position, which took almost a year to be filled, was last held by Benjamin Rahming, who retired last August.

“I don’t understand how this man thinks,” one BAIC staff member who asked to remain anonymous said. “He treats us like we are children, speaks to us any kind of way and is mixing up everything we do. We get it you know. He. . . is a political appointee just like everyone they get to manage this place. No one looks at experience in the industry when hiring these managers here. It’s all about politics. This man does not know anything about the agriculture industry and how to run it but he is the boss and we have to take it or leave it.”

When contacted about the complaints, Mr Nesbitt said any new measures taken are strictly to bring the quasi-government agency to full corporation status.

“When I came into the institution (BAIC), I implemented a series of adjustments,” Mr Nesbitt said. “Right now the Research Department has undertaken the task of assessing every department to see the competence of our service operating procedures (SOPs). We are looking at our SOPs to see if they are efficient and effective for BAIC moving forward.

“My background … I have a Master’s Degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Global Management, from Nova South Eastern University. I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice with a concentration in pre-law from Florida Memorial University. I have worked in the Ministry of Education, I worked in the Bahamas Department of Corrections and I am a lecturer at Southern College,” Mr Nesbitt said.

The BAIC staff member, who spoke on behalf of the other disgruntled staff, said one major complaint was the level of protection offered to staff who deal with the public in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The staff member also complained about being overworked.

The general manager said all of this is just simple culture shock.

“The culture has to change so this will be a culture shock,” he said. “For example, during the lockdown I have allowed staff in the corporate office to work Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9am to 12pm. That equates to nine hours with Tuesday and Thursday off.

“They still are getting their 40 hours a week pay along with 100 percent employer contribution to their health insurance. You cannot get that anywhere on this planet. But, they feel if government ministries are shut down, we should be home too and get our pay. That is unsustainable,” Mr Nesbitt said.

Asked if he thinks that the environment was just slack before he got there, the general manager said, “I definitely think that is the case and this is well expected. That is why the position of general manager was open for such a long time. The board has decided that they want to move in the direction of a 21st century corporation and to move forward with that, they need a lot of energy, innovation and someone who is going to be strict and stern and consistent when it comes to the daily operations of the corporation.”

Mr Nesbitt sidestepped the question when asked if the staff recently walked out in protest. He said all services provided by BAIC “went unimpeded”.