Thursday, July 2, 2015
By NICO SCAVELLA
Tribune Staff Reporter
nscavella@tribunemedia.net
BAHAMAS Union of Teachers President Belinda Wilson has been “indefinitely” suspended pending the results of a police investigation into her alleged violations of union procedures, The Tribune can confirm.
Acting union President Zane Lightbourne told The Tribune yesterday that Mrs Wilson has been suspended with “half pay” pending the results of the investigations.
He said Mrs Wilson has also been ordered to serve the remainder of her initial six-month suspension, that was imposed last year by the union but later overturned by an appeals committee. This order also applies to the union’s treasurer, Lorraine Knowles, he said.
The ruling came from executives at the union’s annual general meeting (AGM), which started earlier this week, according to Mr Lightbourne.
This marks the third time that Mrs Wilson has been suspended. She was first suspended last December and again in March.
Mrs Wilson and Ms Knowles were originally suspended amid concerns from the union’s executive committee that more than $1.1 million from the union’s pension and savings account was wrongfully spent.
“The AGM who is the supreme body, ruled not only for her to be suspended from the December 18 suspension that was overturned,” Mr Lightbourne said yesterday. “Also she has an indefinite suspension pending the completion of the forensic audit on the pension, the (union’s) building in Grand Bahama and pending a police investigation.
“They did the suspension with half pay on Monday until the investigations are complete and then (Tuesday) they invoked that she has to serve the suspension that she didn’t complete when the appeal committee overturned it. They looked at the reasons why the appeal committee overturned it and they saw the same difficulties that we saw. And therefore ruled that she has to serve the rest of her suspension that we gave her at that time.”
Mr Lightbourne said that the union has made “a lot of progress” in the embattled president’s absence.
“The members will have to decide because it’s two completely different styles of leadership,” he said. “She has always had the ‘me, me, I’ type of leadership.
“Then the leadership that happened in her absence was the type of leadership where there was collaboration, cooperation, there was transparency, there was accountability, and a more professional atmosphere,” he said. Mrs Wilson and Ms Knowles were suspended in December for six and three months respectively due to concerns that more than $1.1 million from the union’s pension and savings account were spent in contravention of its policies over a four-year period.
In January, Mrs Wilson had her suspension overturned by a three member appeals committee, who said it found no evidence of wrongdoing on the part of the president as was alleged.
Mr Lightbourne and the union’s executive committee said they firmly rejected the appeals committee’s decision. However, Mrs Wilson was subsequently granted an injunction barring the union’s executive committee from interfering in her duties as president.
In March, however, Mrs Wilson and Ms Knowles were again served with another suspension accused of “blatant violations” of the union’s constitution.
Comments
proudloudandfnm says...
Muddos!! They just can't stand this woman!!
Quit Belinda gal and run for office. I'd vote for you!!
Posted 2 July 2015, 1:18 p.m. Suggest removal
jackbnimble says...
She did run for office in Golden Gates - and lost. I guess this is the highest up the political ladder she will go, leading a union. She's too shady, though, in my humble view.
Posted 2 July 2015, 2:26 p.m. Suggest removal
avidreader says...
Without being aware of what has been happening in the BUT recently, I can say that she was always an effective and efficient president in the old days and could be relied upon to make an effort to face problems and to be supportive of the union membership. She must have been doing something right; just recall how many times she was returned to the president's position in elections over the years.
Posted 2 July 2015, 2:34 p.m. Suggest removal
ThisIsOurs says...
You know, that's exactly what "they" count on, that you will look at how nice they look, the groceries they hand out, the babies they kiss, the $20 they hand out to the poor, all while they're siphoning a BILLION dollars under the table. That's a general comment not really directed at Ms Wilson. And don't let them ask to pray with you, it *ower*
Posted 2 July 2015, 4:19 p.m. Suggest removal
jackbnimble says...
She was "elected" many times because she got the teachers their raises which was all they wanted. What she did with union funds is another story.
Posted 3 July 2015, 2:09 p.m. Suggest removal
duppyVAT says...
Yep ....... the teachers reflect the rest of the country ......... once I get my money, the hell with what the rest a yall doing ..... thats our statement of purpose
Posted 3 July 2015, 2:52 p.m. Suggest removal
duppyVAT says...
Belindaaaaaaaaa, your goose is cooked!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope the forensic audit on the BUT is done better than UR2.0, PHA and the National Budget ............ there just seems to be so much collusion these days
Posted 2 July 2015, 2:49 p.m. Suggest removal
ThisIsOurs says...
What!! BNFC &BUT. The accountant in two separate stories being investigated for stealing. Where are the controls?
Posted 2 July 2015, 5:26 p.m. Suggest removal
shortpants says...
No don't mix up the next accountant in this .She is being used as pawn for the carnival mess .She had already done her job and was not part of the bullshit they are trying to mix her up in.
These PLP criminals are tied to so much mess it's unbelievable.Please we as Bahamians need to wake up and get our act together .Time to tell this bunch off LOSERS to get lost and take back our country before we feel Greece pain. All and most people associated with this government are theives and crooked they will throw anybody under a bus for a couple of dollars .The nine million was pass around the PLP way .Everybody who was at the top helm of that carnival mess got rich overnight .Don't mind them niggas still All for me baby .
Posted 3 July 2015, 12:14 p.m. Suggest removal
Greentea says...
You know. Twice she has been reprimanded. If she is culpable she should resign. If she is innocent of wrongdoing - not in her own estimation of right and wrong but according to the rules of the union, she should fight to clear her name but even then perhaps that should be done from the sidelines. Unfortunately, pride and a sense of entitlement seems to overcome people in leadership positions in this country. Life at the top seems so sweet that they never want to leave, even though their benefit to the organization ceased a long time ago. Maybe she has served her time and needs to move on.
Posted 3 July 2015, 1 p.m. Suggest removal
duppyVAT says...
Well .............. why didn't the AGM remove her with a vote of no confidence last week??????? They had their chance ........... is she still being paid her $60,000 salary + perks ???????? This brand of Bahamian trade union leader is exploiting the workers .......... not working for the workers
Posted 3 July 2015, 1:52 p.m. Suggest removal
duppyVAT says...
Yep ....... the teachers reflect the rest of the country ......... once I get my money, the hell with what the rest a yall doing ..... thats our statement of purpose
Posted 3 July 2015, 2:52 p.m. Suggest removal
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