By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Deputy Chief Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

BRENSIL Rolle, State Minister for Public Service and National Insurance, confirmed yesterday that 21 workers at the National Insurance Board (NIB) are set to be terminated, as their contractual agreements will expire on Friday.

However, he said this is not to say that the agency will not examine these individuals to identify if any of them are best suited to remain at NIB. He said this is “certainly an option.”

He said the group was a part of the former Christie administration’s pre-election hires, adding that they were hired about eight to 12 months ahead of the May 10 election. Asked to describe their job descriptions, Mr Rolle said he could not say specifically.

The Garden Hills MP further revealed to reporters following the morning session of Parliament that officials were now looking into 1,700 persons who are on contract.

He told reporters that this number was in addition to two other agencies with high levels of contracted workers and the 3,000 people that were hired on the 52-week job programme. These contracts, he added, will also expire in a number of days.

“(Former) Minister Jerome Fitzgerald hired workers. His quote to the workers according to my PS (permanent secretary) and some workers on the question of whether or not workers who had been working in the Ministry of Education - whether or not they should be made permanent and pensionable - his quote was ‘that’s them other people business, I am making permanent and pensionable those that I hired,’” Mr Rolle told the press following the morning session of Parliament.

“So what does that mean to you or me? Well for the record they hired their people that’s what they say.”

He also said: “We are totally different from the PLP. We don’t hire based on political orientation. We hire based on merit. That’s our record and that’s our history. We are not getting rid of anybody.

“I said their contracts have expired and as a consequence the director of NIB, consistent with the contracts, is living up to the conditions of the contract. That is not to say that NIB will not examine these individuals and identify who (are) the best persons who were working there and may call them back. That’s certainly an option.

“But we are only honouring the contracts. We are saying that the contract has expired. That’s the end of the contract. We are not in the position to renew your contract. We could now make a case as to why we should keep you or why we should bring you back and have you re-engaged.”

Regarding the 1,700 persons on contract, Mr Rolle said: “That’s the biggest story. I’m going to get to that soon. That’s in addition to two other agencies and the 3,000 that were hired on the 52-weeks programme, whose contracts will expire in a couple of days.

“If you give a person a job you don’t give them a letter of employment. You don’t give them a job description, you make that call.”

Asked if the jobs fell in the category of janitors and security guards, he said they fell in “any category you could wish.”

“I just can’t tell you because it was not done in the public service and so that’s the biggest story that you will get in a couple days,” Mr Rolle said.

Englerston MP Glenys Hanna Martin, who asked for clarity over the firings, raised the matter prior to Mr Rolle’s explanation to reporters and in the morning session of the House of Assembly. It led to a shouting match between both seated government members of Parliament and those in the Official Opposition.

“I am advised that the National Insurance Board is about to terminate 21 people and I am wondering whether they are able to verify that,” Mrs Hanna Martin said in the House of Assembly.

“The concern is there is a lot of apprehension about what will happen with the change of government and we are now hearing that 21 people will be let go at the National Insurance Board and I am wondering whether we can get clarity on that because everybody has a family. Then it mushrooms out into the wider community.”

In response, Mr Rolle said the Englerston MP should have been aware that the workers were on expiring contracts. He said the government was “abiding” by these agreements, which were issued under the former Christie administration.

However, this was not sufficient for Official Opposition Leader Philip ‘Brave’ Davis who questioned whether the group would be replaced with 21 Free National Movement supporters.

“Mr Speaker this government will not operate in that fashion,” Mr Rolle replied. “We are fully aware of the fact that many families are hurting and we have a commitment to the Bahamian people that we will not victimise them (and) neither will we replace 21 PLPs like they did with 21 FNMs.”

Mrs Hanna Martin in turn expressed shock over Mr Rolle’s remarks and questioned whether he ascertained the political affiliations of the 21 contracted workers.

The back and forth was put to end when Renward Wells, leader of government business in the House intervened, insisting that it was the member statements portion of proceedings and not question and answer.