By EARYEL BOWLEG 

TribuneStaffReporter 

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMAS Customs Immigration and Allied Workers Union (BCIAWU) president Deron Brooks has called the Davis administration’s decision to rehire nearly 500 retired public servants a “slap in the face” to workers still fighting for overdue salaries, better conditions, and upward mobility, while teachers’ union president Belinda Wilson has demanded a freeze on the practice.

Their comments followed Labour Minister Pia Glover-Rolle’s revelation that 491 retirees had been rehired, 480 of whom are receiving both a pension and a salary.

Mr Brooks said his union had not been provided with the terms and conditions of any contractually appointed person. He said when he inquired, he was told that their contracts are not issued through the Ministry of Public Service but instead fall outside the traditional public service framework.

“If you look at how things are being run and the complaints this union has made regarding outstanding payments to customs and immigration officers, it feels like a slap in the face,” he said. “We have worked with our employers to get outstanding funds paid, only to see an exorbitant amount of money allocated for contractually appointed persons.”

He pointed to longstanding issues customs officers have faced since Hurricane Dorian, particularly in Marsh Harbour and Treasure Cay.

He said customs and immigration officers in Treasure Cay have been working out of a trailer since the airport was destroyed and there are no bathroom facilities or electricity at one of the offices in Marsh Harbour.

He said in November, private homeowners brought in a mould kit after several officers fell ill with respiratory issues. The results confirmed the presence of mould in the building.

He added that customs officers in Cat Island have been working in a trailer since 1994, while the immigration department in South Bimini does not have a vehicle, forcing officers to transport individuals using public buses.

Mr Brooks also expressed frustration that, despite a 2021 Supreme Court ruling that he believes prohibits immigration officers from being contract workers, the Davis administration has continued the practice by reappointing William Pratt as director of immigration. The Office of the Attorney General does not agree with his interpretation of the 2021 ruling.

Mr Pratt, a former department head, was brought back after the early, controversial retirement of Keturah Ferguson, 62. The government has described his appointment as temporary, with plans to replace him. However, Mr Brooks said there has been no movement on the union’s trade dispute challenging the appointment.

Mrs Glover-Rolle has said that after assuming office in 2021, she identified a lack of succession planning in the public service due to inadequate training and promotions, leading to what she described as a “hollow middle” in human resources. She said the government has made succession planning a priority and is working to ensure institutional knowledge is passed down.

But Mr Brooks said yesterday: “When I asked the Customs Department why they don’t simply promote existing staff, they said they’d rather hire retired persons. The comptroller of customs told me, ‘I prefer to spend $1 on one end and reap $1,000 on the next.’”

He said when he pressed officials on whether only retirees were capable of helping with revenue collection, he received no satisfactory response.

Former Public Service Minister Brensil Rolle estimated yesterday that most rehired retirees earn between $40,000 and $90,000 annually, with pensions around $20,000. He said permanent secretaries with at least ten years of service earn a minimum of $90,000 annually, with pensions equivalent to their salaries.

Under the Minnis administration, retirees were not allowed to receive both a salary and a pension simultaneously. However, Mrs Glover-Rolle said that Cabinet reversed this policy in October 2021.

Mr Rolle criticised the policy change, saying it increases government spending and blocks promotions for younger public servants.

“This policy is costly,” he said. “An average permanent secretary has at least a year of vacation leave, so that’s a year of salary. They get a gratuity, they get a pension equal to their salary, and they get a salary. You can imagine how expensive it is to bring back someone who has already received these benefits.”

He also argued that Mrs Glover-Rolle’s justification for the policy gives the impression that she does not understand the structure of the public service.

“She knows that there have always been systems in place for promotion and career progression,” he said. “Maybe the structure wasn’t always clear, but the public service has always had guidelines on what qualifications you need, how long you must serve, and when you can be promoted.”

Meanwhile, Bahamas Union of Teachers (BUT) President Belinda Wilson called for a six-month freeze on the rehiring of senior public servants.

“We need to review public officers and their qualifications to identify suitable candidates,” she said. “Promote deserving public servants to senior positions — many have been waiting for years and are more than qualified.”

She also suggested real- locating funds from rehired senior public servants to settle outstanding payments owed to teachers and other public servants.

She criticised the government for approving what she described as “bloated” contracts, citing one example where a senior public servant was purportedly rehired with a $104,750 annual salary, a $20,000 responsibility allowance, a $12,000 housing allowance, and a 15 percent gratuity. She did not produce evidence supporting this claim.

“These individuals already received gratuities and pensions, yet they continue to benefit from lucrative contracts while hundreds of teachers are still waiting for salary increases, increments, responsibility allowances, and rental allowances,” she said. “Surely, this cannot be fair. In fact, it is egregious.”

Last night, Office of the Prime Minister Director of Communications Latrae Rahming said the government will publish a list of re-engaged retired pensioners in a way that protects their privacy.