Victimization, oppression and abuse are the reasons given for seven of eleven staff members of the Companies Section of the Registrar General’s Office staging a sick out today.
A statement by the truant staff called for the removal of Flora Strachan, supervisor and chief executive officer and Marie Major, a senior executive secretary because of their “abuse of power.”
The employees are also protesting their working environment, which they describe as being “just short of a pig pen.”
But Ms. Strachan said the persons who were absent from work are continuously unproductive. “They come here to socialize,” she said.
Ms. Strachan also said that a number of foreign as well as Bahamian clients frequent the Companies Section and the conduct of some of the employees there is unacceptable. She said that there have been cases of staff members using profanity in the presence of clients and she said that on one occasion two staff members got into a fight, throwing their shoes at each other.
Ms. Strachan said that the section needs to be completely revamped.
Ms. Major agreed.
She said staff members “just refuse to adapt to changes for the betterment of the department” and the “lack of proper administration has lent to an ad hoc form of service.”
Assistant Registrar General Cedric Moxey said that he believes the problem arose because of a confrontation some of the all-female staff had with Ms. Strachan on Wednesday.
He said that he would like to see evidence of the accusations they are making.
In the meantime, he urged them to go back to their jobs because if they continue to take “wildcat” strike action they would be in violation of the law.
“I would suggest that they return to work and if they have grievances with Ms. Strachan then we would have to hear them.”
Mr. Moxey said that department officials have not had justifiable complaints about Ms. Strachan and Ms. Major in the past and that management supports them in their professional duties. However, he said that officials will listen to both sides of the dispute.
The workload in the Companies Section is light at present. Staff members have been transferred from other sections to ensure that the smooth functioning of the section is not compromised.
The Bahama Journal
