The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE morale of immigration and customs officers –– especially those in Grand Bahama –– has been affected by the government’s decision to appoint retirees to top management positions and hire people outside the public service, according to Bahamas Customs and Immigration Allied Workers Union (BCIAWU) president Deron Brooks.

He raised concerns during a press conference on Friday.

“This week alone, several persons in the customs department who would’ve since retired, their services have been re-engaged on a contractual basis,” he said, adding that every superintendent in both departments has at least 34 years of experience. “The justification for these contractual appointments, whether it’s that superintendents aren’t ready or can’t get along, is not true.”

The BCIAWU has accused the Davis administration of breaching its industrial agreement and the law with these appointments. One example involves Immigration Director William Pratt, 66, who was brought back last year after the early retirement of Keturah Ferguson, 62. The union has filed a trade dispute challenging his appointment, citing a 2021 Supreme Court ruling that found appointing immigration officers on a contractual basis illegal.

Government officials, however, disagree with the union’s interpretation of the ruling.

Although the administration has promised to find a replacement for Mr Pratt, no timeline has been provided.

Meanwhile, Mr Brooks also called on the government to pay “outstanding” monies owed to customs officers, warning that delaying payments until late this year or early next year would be “unacceptable”.

Trade Union Congress president Obie Ferguson, representing 41 unions including the BCIAWU, urged affiliates to file a trade dispute.

“You can’t keep talking, and they’re pretending as though they can’t hear,” he said on Friday.

When contacted for comment, Labour Minister Pia Glover Rolle referred the matter to Immigration Minister Alfred Sears, who was unavailable for comment up to press time.