Wednesday, June 27, 2012
By CARA BETHEL
cbrennen@tribunemedia.net
URBAN Renewal workers whose contracts were terminated are in the process of gathering the documents they will need to reapply for their current positions.
Corneila Taylor told The Tribune she will be resubmitting updated letters of recommendations from two officials who had previously recommended her, in the hopes of securing her job.
The workers received letters last week informing them that they were being let go effective Friday, but received notice only yesterday that they had to reapply for their positions because their contracts were expired.
They claimed that they were politically "victimised" as 'only FNM workers' were told that they would have to reapply.
She also claimed that Shane Gibson had hinted of terminations in the department while still an opposition house member.
"He waved an envelope in the House of Assembly and claimed that it contained the names of 'the FNM' managers, and said they would be dealing with them.
"So we were targeted before they even won."
Ms Taylor said that she fully intends to do whatever she can to retain her job.
"I am a single mother of two and I need my job. I will do whatever I have to even if means standing in front of the House of Assembly, with my two boys when the members return."
Ms Taylor said the application process is just another part of the lack of communication they have had from the government.
She said many staff members only learnt that they could reapply after listening to media reports.
"I am in the midst of having my recommendations written, they should have all this information on my file, but I am willing to do it because I don't want to leave any loopholes," she said.
Ms Taylor argued that it seemed strange to her that despite receiving excellent evaluations and having been recommended for another term, they should be terminated.
"We understand that a contract is subject to evaluation, but they claim that we are being terminated because they are restructuring, so my question is still why are we the only ones who have to reapply, if you are restructuring why doesn't everyone need to reapply. It is clear from the evaluation that we were doing a good job and we had been told to resume planning the programmes. But you are talking about a small group of workers and everyone knew what political affiliation you were."
Comments
TalRussell says...
How in hell can you apply for a job while threatening to picket your potential employer, if you're not hired? I'm pretty damn sure she'd have lots of red shirts picketing alongside her.
Somebody needs to tell her that she is not welcome back to work under this minister.
Posted 27 June 2012, 2:15 p.m. Suggest removal
242352 says...
Tal,
We will never heal and progress as a country with a mentaity like which you exhibit above.
we need to all work together and make this country what it can be.
the election is over, believe it or not but HAI is gone.
Let's move on and get back on track.
Do you think that you are able to do that?
Posted 27 June 2012, 2:45 p.m. Suggest removal
TalRussell says...
Comrade isn't it the red shirts, no I, whom have turned the turfing out of political hiring contracts, into some major news story? Last time I checked each new red shirts and PLP administration have done likewise? So, what in the hell is the problem with these contract workers being shown the door?
Posted 27 June 2012, 2:56 p.m. Suggest removal
Reader says...
Because they are Bahamians... most probably have a family, with children and bills to pay.
Last time I checked, the goverment is elected to work for all Bahamians, not just PLP
Posted 27 June 2012, 4:29 p.m. Suggest removal
TalRussell says...
And, so do all the out of work PLP's need jobs. Red shirts time is up.
Posted 27 June 2012, 5:19 p.m. Suggest removal
spoitier says...
Bahamians need to understand until they change their mindset, the government will always do things like changing around employees as they change government. It may be bad but it makes political sense, if the PLP leaves the employees that the FNM hired whom everyone knows are FNM then they run the risk of alienating themselves from the people that vote for them while having the FNM keep the ones they already have, this is bribery by a different name.So don't be fool by Dion Foulkes them running up their mouths because they're going to do the samething if and when the FNM wins, it is like back in the day when everyone taught that wrestling was real and the first time they came down the hotel employees was saying that Dusty and Bugsy was sitting at the table having dinner together, laughing up with each other the night before they was suppose to have a death match. These politician does the same thing and laugh at the Bahamian people for being foolish enough to beleive anything they say. So why everytime a new government comes in power Bahamian citizens complain about victimization? Bahamians to me will make good cornerbacks in the NFL and that is probably why they are a few of Bahamian decent because in order to be a good corner one would have to have good short term memory and Bahamian display it after every government change. You know you get your job because one government fire the people the last party hired and you don't expect the samething to happened to you.
Posted 28 June 2012, 7:36 a.m. Suggest removal
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