By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE war of words between Water & Sewerage chairman Adrian Gibson and Bahamas Utilities services and Allied Workers Union president Dwayne Woods persisted yesterday with the Long Island MP saying the union boss gets “paid for nothing”.

Last week Mr Gibson said Mr Woods has not performed a day’s work for the corporation in years, saying he was paid about $60,000 annually while on administrative leave.

Responding over the weekend, Mr Woods said the chairman put his life in danger by revealing the terms of his employment.

Mr Gibson responded: “Mr Woods, through political patronage of the former administration, has been allowed to live a charmed life off the toil and sweat of the Bahamian people. He has accused me of ‘playing brilliant politics’ and ‘putting up smoke screens and a mirror’, but he has not—I repeat, has not—denied that he earns a princely salary for doing absolutely nothing. And, on top of the princely salary that he has earned for more than seven years, he continues to accrue vacation, bonus and other benefits paid for by Bahamian taxpayers. Moreover, he has the temerity and the sense of entitlement to request yearly increments, additional benefits and upward mobility. Pray tell, for doing what?”

“Mr Woods has proudly declared that ‘I have enjoyed two terms and I’m in the middle of a third term’. That’s seven years of getting paid for nothing and he is proud of it.

“As chairman of WSC I cry shame upon Mr Woods. Mr Woods says that the only way he would ‘give up the leave and go back to work is if a new president unseats me’. What a shame. Such commentary is unwarranted and projects a seeming belief that can only be likened to that of a feudal lord: give nothing, just take, take, take. The granting of administrative leave is solely at the discretion of WSC. I have a fiduciary duty to the corporation and the Bahamian people.

“Observably, the board of directors has found Mr Woods’ seven years of paid leave to be unjust and unfair – our view is that to continue the same would be fiscally imprudent and morally reprehensible. Let me also note that Mr Woods’ salary, much like all public servants, is public knowledge. The salaries/salary scales of all WSC employees featured in the registered Industrial Agreement. The agreement is registered with the Department of Labour.

“All employees, and any other interested party, would have a copy of the same. Since my appointment as chairman, I have endeavoured to improve the culture and work ethic at WSC. Moreover, in nearly two years as executive chair, I have come to appreciate and recognise the talent and work ethic of a significant number of our employees. They are dedicated, they work, they take pride in their jobs, they earn their salaries. They work to earn their sick leave, to earn their vacation, to earn their bonuses.”

Mr Woods, said Mr Gibson, “has instituted proceedings in the Supreme Court to maintain his life style at the expense of the Bahamian people and as the matter is sui juris I cannot and will not comment on the merits of the action. In the interim, WSC will allow the status quo to remain—unfettered and in an effort to avoid contempt of court— until a decision is reached by the Court and/or our attorneys, upon a Court review, advise us otherwise.”