From:TheBahamasWeekly.com
Govt meeting with The Customs, Immigration and Allied Workers Union postponed
By Bahamas Ministry of Labour
Dec 2, 2014 - 2:13:13 PM
Nassau, Bahamas - The following is a statement by the Ministry of Labour:
A meeting of the Customs, Immigration and Allied Workers Union with the Minister of Labour and senior officers of the Ministry of the Public Service was scheduled for 10:30 a.m., Monday, December 1, 2014.
Several of the executives of the union arrived at the meeting; however they indicated that they were awaiting the arrival of their president and other executives, including their counsel/consultant.
Approximately at 11:00 a.m. those executives in attendance were invited into the conference room and asked whether or not the other executives would be joining the meeting.
They indicated that neither Mr. Sloan Smith, their president, nor Ms. Ursula Oliver, their secretary general, were available and that their counsel – Mr. Obie Ferguson was tied up in a court matter and unable to attend.
It should be noted that Mr. Ferguson’s office called after 10:30 a.m. and stated that Mr. Ferguson had a court matter and would be delayed by 10 minutes.
Mr. Ferguson did not appear at the meeting.
The Ministry’s executives were quite prepared to sign off on the Agreement, thus enabling members to receive their payments by the December 19; unfortunately those persons whose signatures were required in order to finalize the agreement failed to show up to the meeting. The meeting was postponed.
Mr. Obie Ferguson by e-mail dated December 1 later confirmed that he had asked for a postponement of the meeting until the afternoon as he was tied up in court and was unable to make the 10:30 a.m. meeting. A new meeting was subsequently agreed for 5:00 p.m.
The Ministry stands ready, willing and able to conclude this matter so that those hard-working and well-deserving Customs and Immigration officers receive their payments in accordance with the Industrial Agreement on or before December 19, 2014.
A meeting of the Customs, Immigration and Allied Workers Union with the Minister of Labour and senior officers of the Ministry of the Public Service was scheduled for 10:30 a.m., Monday, December 1, 2014.
Several of the executives of the union arrived at the meeting; however they indicated that they were awaiting the arrival of their president and other executives, including their counsel/consultant.
Approximately at 11:00 a.m. those executives in attendance were invited into the conference room and asked whether or not the other executives would be joining the meeting.
They indicated that neither Mr. Sloan Smith, their president, nor Ms. Ursula Oliver, their secretary general, were available and that their counsel – Mr. Obie Ferguson was tied up in a court matter and unable to attend.
It should be noted that Mr. Ferguson’s office called after 10:30 a.m. and stated that Mr. Ferguson had a court matter and would be delayed by 10 minutes.
Mr. Ferguson did not appear at the meeting.
The Ministry’s executives were quite prepared to sign off on the Agreement, thus enabling members to receive their payments by the December 19; unfortunately those persons whose signatures were required in order to finalize the agreement failed to show up to the meeting. The meeting was postponed.
Mr. Obie Ferguson by e-mail dated December 1 later confirmed that he had asked for a postponement of the meeting until the afternoon as he was tied up in court and was unable to make the 10:30 a.m. meeting. A new meeting was subsequently agreed for 5:00 p.m.
The Ministry stands ready, willing and able to conclude this matter so that those hard-working and well-deserving Customs and Immigration officers receive their payments in accordance with the Industrial Agreement on or before December 19, 2014.
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