The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrrolle@tribunemedia.net

AFTER a protest involving public service workers demanding promotion, State Public Service Minister Pia Glover-Rolle said promotions for financial officers should be completed within three weeks.

Disgruntled officers protested for a second time in a month, calling for salary increases and promotions.

They were led by Bahamas Public Services Union (BPSU) President Kimsley Ferguson, who said last month that more than 100 employees are waiting for promotions.

“They’re not begging for anything; they’re asking for what they rightfully deserve,” he said.

Mrs Glover-Rolle acknowledged the group’s concerns in a statement on Friday.

She said 50 per cent of the workers’ files were reviewed, processed and forwarded to the Public Service Commission (PSC).

“As a result of these efforts, 50 per cent of these files are now complete, and letters are currently being drafted,” she said, adding the remaining promotions were approved and moved to the next step.

She said all letters are expected to be issued within two to three weeks.

Mr Ferguson was not optimistic about that timeframe when he spoke to reporters Friday.

“They’re saying three weeks now, but it was 16 months ago, and so we are concerned,” he said as BPSU members protested outside the Treasury Department.

“We need something more definitive than that. We need to see what was presented on behalf of these persons.”

Mrs Glover-Rolle called for public servants to be patient, saying the process is long.

“The Ministry of Public Service would like to note that the formal process for promotions within the public service is comprehensive and requires a series of reviews and approvals to ensure that no errors are made,” she said. “While teams are working as quickly as possible, the approval of promotions does take several weeks even under the best circumstances.”

“Considering the fact that a promotions backlog has been growing for many years, there are hundreds of cases that are currently being reviewed. Public service officers across the country, including financial officers, have been waiting on what is due to them for a long time.”

“As the multi-year promotions backlog is being processed, in consideration of the size of the backlog, we ask public servants for their continued patience as we address each case. No group is more important than the other and no group should take priority over the other as we seek to address the concerns of the entire public service.”

“Our teams are working at an expedited pace to ensure that each and every public servant is able to receive the promotions they have earned.”