Chaos could erupt if the government does not get to the root of a ballot mystery which has thrown the hotel workers union into turmoil, it was claimed last night.
The union’s leadership election was left in a shambles after three ballot boxes allegedly “went missing” over the weekend.
Last night officials were saying the poll would have to be declared “null and void” amid allegations of skulduggery.
The boxes were reportedly being held by police pending a recount today. But they were removed – and officials claimed they didn’t, know where they were.
Now the Bahamas Hotel, Catering and Allied Workers Union is in turmoil as angry members last night called for justice.
According to Roy Colebrook, president of The Justice Team, which is trying to oust the present union leadership, the boxes were taken to Grove Police Station after Friday’s poll. There they were secured by police and Ministry of Labour officials.
Mr Colebrook said representatives from factions contesting the election agreed that, whenever the boxes were to be removed for the recount, all those with a stake in the election, along with the Ministry of Labour; were to be present to ensure that the boxes were intact. That was to occur at 9.15am today.
However, Mr Colebrook said there was a breach of this agreement which he only heard about when ZNS reported that The Rainbow Team, under the leadership of Mr Pat Bain, were unofficial winners.
“We found out on ZNS of a new recount,” said Mr Colebrook, “Upon hearing this, we went to Grove Police Station, and that is when we found out that the boxes were gone.”
Yesterday, a ZNS reporter confirmed that late Saturday evening Director of Labour Mr Harcourt Brown submitted unofficial results from which they made their report.
But a furious Mr Colebrook made it clear the result will not stand, saying: “We will stop at nothing to secure justice for the Bahamian workers in the hotel industry.”
And he warned Minister of Labour Shane Gibson that “chaos is going to erupt in this country” if the matter was not resolved satisfactorily.
Mr Colebrook, disputing the new “unofficial” results, said: “When the polls closed on Friday and the ballots were counted, the unofficial counts came out, and The Justice Team had already won 11 of the 12 seats, as the assistant treasurer’s seat was up for protest. The people of the union made it loud and clear who they wanted to be their leaders.
“On Saturday, we spoke with Minister Shane Gibson to confirm the procedures, and he assured us that before the boxes could be moved, Mrs Albury, along with officers and representatives from other teams would be there to escort them to a place where they would be recounted. This never happened,” said Mr Colebrook.
“The message is clear. We cannot allow these things to continue in this country. This is going to cause a serious outburst, and right now we are getting ready to assemble our members at Workers House, where we are going to form a human chain around that place and close it down.”
Mr Colebrook said they are still left without answers as to why they never were able to get a register of voters in the election to ensure that they were eligible to vote.
“We went to Mr Brown to request the information. After we did not get it, we went back to the minister, who ordered Brown to ensure that they got a copy of the register. The election is now over and we still do not have a, copy.”
Members of The Justice Team feel that Pat Bain, current president of the BHCAWU, and several of his Rainbow Team were depending on a “miracle” win in this election.
But Mr Colebrook said the poll would have to be considered null and void and held again.
“Elections were held on Friday,” Mr Colebrook said, “and the people of the union made it known loud and clear who they wanted to be their leaders. “The message was very clear that the membership of the Hotel Workers Union wanted nothing to do with that Rainbow administration.”
Last night Mr Gibson said Mr Brown was within his rights to take the boxes to his home for safe-keeping. This was in accordance with his role.
He said any suggestion that anyone had interfered with the process could be “put to rest”.
By MARK HUMES, The Tribune
