The government’s decision to pay former Prime Minister Sir Lynden Pindling’s half-million-dollar pension to his widow, Lady Marguerite, is not sitting well with some union leaders who are still demanding that the $1,200 civil servant salary increases be paid beginning next month.
Bahamas Union of Teachers President Kingsley Black told the Bahama Journal yesterday the decision to pay the pension at this time is politically motivated and suggests a double standard.
“We are more rigid in our position now because the government is not walking the talk,” Mr. Black said.
“The government is telling us that it is exercising fiscal prudence and everybody needs to exercise restraint during these difficult economic times, but the point is they are making political choices which seems to suggest that there is money like dirt.
“All we are saying is if there is an abundance of money then let it flow, but make sure we get ours, as per the contract.”
In a new development, the union leaders said they would require a penalty payment along with the salary increases if the government wishes to defer the payment.
“There must be a penalty if the civil servants have to wait until December for payment,” Bahamas Public Services Union President John Pinder said. “[The government] either has to sweeten the pot by doubling the payment or we expect payment in July.”
Union leaders have already submitted the proposal to the government and are awaiting a response, he added.
Mr. Black, who represents the over 3,000 members of the BUT, claimed that the rift in opinions between the government and many civil servants seems to be growing even greater despite ongoing efforts to reach a mutually satisfactory position on the decision to pay the salary increases.
Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Public Service Fred Mitchell met with civil servant and union leaders Wednesday morning in the continuing effort to arrive at an amicable resolution.
Mr. Black said, however, that the negotiations are not proceeding well because of a fundamental difference of opinions.
“We didn’t make any headway at the meeting, we essentially said to the government that the manner in which the 20,000 public sector employees were treated by the government in not following proper protocols and giving us 24 hours notice of their decision to defer the salary increases was wrong and we demanded an apology,” Mr. Black said.
He said the union would not consider any compromise regarding the payment of the increases until a government representative apologises to public sector employees.
Mr. Black added that, “if we don’t get the apology there will be no compromise and we will expect our money next month.”
BPSU President, Mr. Pinder, also expressed disappointment over the government’s decision to pay the pension benefit to compensate Lady Pindling while seeking to defer payment of the civil servant pay hikes.
Mr. Pinder added that the decision indicates that payment of the increases is not a priority for the government.
“We would wish that the government would take civil servants as a priority as it relates to the fact that there was a contract in place,” he said.
He added, “I don’t know if the payments which the government owes to other persons are contractually based or not, but to my knowledge we have a contract in place with the government which we thought should have taken place and should be honoured.”
During his wrap up of the budget debate on Saturday morning, Prime Minister Christie said the government had agreed to compensate Lady Pindling for the pension benefits which were “unfairly and illegally” withheld from former Prime Minister Sir Lynden Pindling during his lifetime.
From 1992, when he ceased to be prime minister, until his retirement as a Member of Parliament in 1998, Sir Lynden collected no pension.
Prime Minister Christie added that when one looks back at history, one will be able to see the “savagery and cannibalistic urges that pervaded this place and public life at this time.”
He said the pension legislation was to ensure that persons who served in public life in leadership positions do not have to face the indignity of living in abject poverty after leaving office.
By Darrin Culmer, The Bahama Journal
