OBA ‘ducked’ job cut queries

The ruling OBA “ducked” questions over the axing of 15 contract workers from the Government workforce, Shadow Home Affairs Minister Walter Roban has claimed.

Mr Roban said: “Rather than be forthcoming about their plans to cut these workers, the OBA ducked questions until public outcry forced them to come clean.”

And he questioned whether the OBA would ever have admitted to shedding the workers, said to be “casual, part-time or temporary”, if it had not been pressured.

Mr Roban said that an announcement from Cabinet Office, only hours after he spoke publicly on rumours that 150 jobs had been terminated, “does not end the community’s concern and speculation about the Government’s plans to slash Civil Service jobs.”

He added that the OBA’s pledge to cut expenditure could only be achieved by “attacking government employee compensation, whether full-time, casual or temporary, which amounts to over half of government’s annual expenditure”.

And Mr Roban said: “The OBA political leadership needs to be open and transparent regarding potential plans for laying off other temporary, casual and full-time employees of government.”

The Cabinet Office statement said that “unsubstantiated stories” about large-scale lay-offs had begun circulating on social media sites “over the Easter weekend.”

The Bermuda Sun, however, had raised the issue with the Government through its Department of Communications and Information nearly two weeks ago — but was stonewalled.

A statement was not released until late on Monday night — several hours after Mr Roban spoke out.

A Government spokesperson told us yesterday: “Government confirms being in receipt of the Bermuda Sun’s query. As is the normal protocol and process with all media queries it was fielded with various Ministries for response. Government subsequently responded to all media dispelling the rumour that there were mass job losses in the Civil Service.”

Union

Kevin Grant, president of the Bermuda Public Services Union, which represents Civil Servants, said: “It’s quite evident that there has been a breakdown in communication – a breakdown that has caused rumours and unwarranted speculation.

“The OBA has touted transparency and, although they may need to familiarize themselves with protocols, I would encourage more dialogue with pertinent stakeholders.

“I have received a number of questions from members of the public concerning this particular issue and I could not answer or explain to them what was transpiring because we had not heard anything.”

Mr Grant added: “However, we would have liked to know about this because it allows us as an organization to be proactive in communicating to our members what has transpired and how it may or may not affect them.

“Communication like this puts to rest the rumour mill and keeps the country informed.”

In the Cabinet Office statement, Donald Scott, Head of the Civil Service, said: “No full time employees in established posts have been either released or terminated as implied in some of the irresponsible allegations that have been in circulation in online media.”