The Tribune

By TANYA SMITH-CARTWRIGHT

tsmith-cartwright@tribunemedia.net

THE former executive chairman of the Water and Sewerage Corporation has accused the Davis administration of “mass victimisation” of the utility’s staff following the September general election.

Giving his contribution to the debate on the Supplementary Budget, Long Island MP Adrian Gibson asked Minister of Works Alfred Sears, who is directly responsible for WSC, to intervene.

“Today I am asking the member for Fort Charlotte to intervene at the Water and Sewerage Corporation,” Mr Gibson said. “Staffers are indicating that they are suffering anxiety attacks, there are petty, blatant and egregious acts of victimisation and gross injustice at WSC.

“Mass victimisation. Sixty persons were promoted by a legitimate government before the elections and that list is on hold after the election. Today I am hearing that the chairman is cherry-picking persons on that list for promotions.

“I am told that three staffers joining the chair’s office, with one of them receiving a five-step promotion from non-management to management.”

Rising to his feet on a point of order, Mr Sears defended decisions regarding the suspended promotions of staff, saying there was no proper process followed in recommending them for a promotion in the first place.

“This point of order is rooted in the rules of the House because there’s been an imputation of improper motive to the chairman,” said Mr Sears who is also the MP for Fort Charlotte.

“I just wish to assure the honourable member and this House that the board of the Water and Sewerage Corporation will be constituted this week. And, that the reason why the list of persons that you had proposed to be promoted was suspended, was because the representation from the corporation made to me that there had not been any process for the selection of those persons.”

Indicating he did not want to get into a back-and-forth over the matter, Mr Sears said he would investigate Mr Gibson’s claims.

“But it is not my intention to throw charges and counter charges,” Mr Sears continued. “I will investigate the representations that are made, but certainly I will just caution the honourable member of Long Island because, like they say, there are always two sides to every story.”

Mr Gibson continued to call out the Davis administration for alleged victimisation and new hires.

“I respect the member for Fort Charlotte, but I want to say to the member for Fort Charlotte that we didn’t ask persons their politics when they were promoted,” he said.

“All of those persons were deservingly promoted. I just want to say that I’ve also been advised that the immediate former board secretary for the past administration has been suspended without due process.

“I’ve heard of persons being uprooted from their office and transferred because they are suspected of being FNM or believed to be someone who worked closely with the past administration.”

Mr Gibson asked who is currently running the corporation and made sure to state who he felt was doing so.

“I’m hearing of 14 persons from Eleuthera being hired Friday past. I am told of instructions …. Who is running the day-to-day at the corporation?” Mr Gibson asked. “I’m hearing of a former MP being a consultant at the corporation. So I invite you, sir, to consider all these matters as we move forward.”