Is Dr. Hubert Minnis suffering from amnesia?

By Bradley B Roberts
National Chairman Progressive Liberal Party

Minnis cries that the pending BTC layoffs are inhumane rings very hallow and begs the question as to whether he was sound asleep at the Cabinet Table when the terms and conditions on the sale of majority shares and control of management to Cable and Wireless (C&W) was approved? Was Minnis present and voted in the House of Assembly? How can Minnis now claim to be shocked over the proposed layoffs when the process was outlined in detail in the shareholders agreement with C&W and associated documents?

There was not a beep from Minnis or the Union when 470 BTC employees
Lost their jobs between 2011 and 2012 under the FNM administration in accordance with business restructuring plans agreed with CWC and by 2014 the total number was 553. The FNM government agreed that C&W could reduce staff numbers through VSEP in the first two years following privatization, that is, up to April 2013. The FNM further committed under the Shareholders’ Agreement that thereafter, CWC was at liberty to proceed to reduce staff numbers on a voluntary or non-voluntary basis without the Government’s consent.

The PLP again reminds Minnis that it was the FNM Administration who by legislation restricted the present Administration from beginning the process of liberalization which should be concluded shortly.

The PLP once again reminds the Bahamian Public that it was the FNM Administration who gave Cable & Wireless certain guaranteed rights in advance of the liberalization of mobile services to reduce its staffing levels to address competition.

Clearly Minnis is shameless in seeking to blame others when he in fact was a senior Cabinet Minister in Hubert Ingraham government and simple should have looked in the mirror on being inhumane.

June 28th 2015