By TANYA SMITH-CARTWRIGHT

tsmith-cartwright@tribunemedia.net

THE former executive chairman of the Water and Sewerage Corporation has defended staff promotions issued just prior to the general election, saying those who received them were well deserving and had nothing to do with the individual’s politics.

Days before the September 16 election, in letters dated September 1, some staff members at WSC were informed that they had been promoted and were advised of their new titles and salaries.

However, another letter dated September 23, signed by WSC General Manager Elwood Donaldson, advised promoted staff members that their promotions were on hold pending review and they should revert to their former roles and salaries at WSC. This letter made its rounds on social media over the weekend.

The union representing line staff at WSC said it supports the promotions being rescinded and said it has concerns they may have been doled out to shore up support for the Free National Movement ahead of the election.

Contacted by The Tribune and asked if the promotions were politically motivated, Adrian Gibson, former WSC executive chairman, denied that they were.

“No they were not,” Mr Gibson said. “They were all deserving employees who go above and beyond in the daily execution of their duties at the corporation. Persons promoted were of all political persuasions. No one was singled out because of their politics.”

Mr Gibson gave an example of how much the promotions were needed and how deserving the recipients were.

“We did not sit down and ask them what their politics were and which political party they supported,” Mr Gibson said yesterday. “Persons were also in the mix who had not been promoted for some time.

“In one case, one gentleman had not been promoted in about 20 years. We had a meeting with him and he told me as much. All of these persons are deserving and I would like to see them receive what is due to them.”

Fred Mitchell, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Public Service, revealed on Sunday promotions granted in the public service leading up to the general election have been temporarily halted to give the new government an opportunity to review them to ensure nothing “nefarious” has been done.

Dwayne Woods, president of the Bahamas Utilities Service and Allied Workers Union which represents workers at WSC, said he is in agreement that the promotions should be rescinded.

Being of the opinion that the promotions were politically motivated, Mr Woods said he wrote a letter petitioning the general manager and Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis to “stop, cancel and review” the promotions.

Mr Woods alleges the promotions did not follow proper protocol and insisted neither the corporation’s middle management, executive management nor the board had any participation in the promotion exercise. He accused the general manager and the chairman of forming the promotion list and executing the same without external input.

The Water and Sewerage Corporation falls under the Ministry of Works and Urban Development led by Minister of Works Alfred Sears. It is a wholly owned government organisation slated to manage, maintain, distribute and develop the country’s water resources.

During the course of Mr Gibson’s tenure at the corporation, there was a tumultuous relationship between the Woods-led union and executive management. The bad blood started when Mr Gibson insisted that Mr Woods return to daily work at WSC as opposed to working daily for the union.

Mr Woods had remained on the corporation’s payroll, but had not been reporting to work.

The Tribune also tried to receive commentary on the matter from the WSC general manager as he had signed off on the letters. When Mr Donaldson finally answered his phone, he made it clear he was not interested in addressing the matter at the time.

“I am not speaking to the press today, goodbye,” he said before hanging up.

Attempts to contact him again were unsuccessful.

The Tribune also made unsuccessful attempts to speak with an executive from WSC’s human resources department.