The Tribune

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS 

Tribune Staff Reporter 

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

THE Gaming Board for The Bahamas and the Bahamas Public Service Union (BPSU) yesterday signed an industrial agreement, but officials declined to disclose notable details about the agreement, which is set to expire in 2028.

The agreement, which had been outstanding for a year, brings increased benefits for the Gaming Board’s bargaining unit members.

Dr Daniel Johnson, executive chairman of the Gaming Board, described the process as a success resulting from collaboration. 

“This is a result of good communication, good collaboration and good compromise, and I hope that in our wider sphere, we continue to communicate, collaborate, and compromise where it’s mutually beneficial,” he said. “The gaming board is really happy to say that we enjoy very good relations with unions, stewards and staff.” 

Dr Johnson said the Gaming Board does not discuss the financial details of its agreements, citing confidentiality. “As a regulatory body, we don’t generally speak of values of what we do inside here. But at the end of every year, we will publish a report, and this information will now be available on our website in painstaking detail,” he said.

“But we don’t generally talk money at the Gaming Board because we hold a lot of people’s private information.” 

BPSU president Kimsley Ferguson expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the negotiations. 

“We’re pleased to say that the negotiations were very, very, very amicable,” he said. “We were able to arrive at some decisions concerning the benefits discussed on behalf of the membership here at the Gaming Board.”

The agreement will impact 97 people in the BPSU’s bargaining unit, with notable improvements in salary increases over the five-year period. Mr Ferguson highlighted additional enhancements, including increases in phone, mileage, and on-call allowances. 

“I believe they’re going to be very pleased with what was agreed to on their behalf. Persons will be able to move to even a little higher standard of living based on the increases we were able to agree to today,” Mr Ferguson said.