By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

THE Government was yesterday urged to “show compassion” and not terminate any more public sector workers until after Christmas, following a further 10-12 lay-offs at the Gaming Board.

Bishop Simeon Hall told Tribune Business that “a cloud of uncertainty” was hanging over many Bahamians and their families as the festive season approached due to continued downsizing at public sector agencies.

Acknowledging that the Government needed to control its spending, and that the Christie administration “hired too many people” in the public sector, Bishop Hall called on it to delay further terminations until 2018.

With Christmas less than one month away, he said: “I want to call on the Government to show compassion and to not have any more terminations of employees until after the New Year.

“Regardless of the outside influences that seem to be happening, whatever it is, we must first take care of ourselves; Bahamians. It seems most uncaring for people to face Christmas with uncertainty over their jobs, and I’m calling on the Government to show some compassion and not have any more terminations until the New Year regardless of the conditions under which they were hired.”

Bishop Hall’s comments came as it was revealed that a further 10-12 staff were let go by the Gaming Board on Monday as part of a right-sizing exercise. This adds to the 18 released previously, with Dionisio D’Aguilar, minister responsible for gaming, having already confirmed the agency was over-staffed.

Some 30 persons were released from the Department of Inland Revenue last week after their contracts expired and were not renewed, as the Government seeks to bring the civil service wage bill under control and manage its debt/deficit position.

These terminations join 27 at the Ministry of Tourism, who were let go in August. Fifteen people were let go that same month from the Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Corporation (BAIC), while the contracts of 21 workers at the National Insurance Board (NIB) were terminated in June after their agreements expired. The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has also let go at least 42 people in its bid to reduce costs.

“If at all possible, the Government should extend expiring contracts for those persons until after then holiday season and into the New Year,” Bishop Hall argued yesterday.

“I respect the fact the Government must look at its Budget and strengthen things, and one could say the previous government hired too many people but, where possible, the present government should let people face the Christmas season with certainty.

“There’s a cloud hanging over the Bahamas, a cloud of uncertainty, and I want to stand and commiserate with those persons let go. Have a little more compassion. I call on the Minister of Finance to be a little more compassionate.”

Brensil Rolle, minister of the public service and National Insurance, said that between December 2016 and May 2017, the Government’s payroll ballooned by $16.5 million due to the Christie administration’s hiring of new public service workers prior to the general election.

More than 1,700 people were included in this number. According to Mr Rolle, the public service increased by 6,500 people during the last Christie administration.