NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The decision to displace some 40 Urban Renewal employees has been reversed, confirmed Minister of Social Services Obie Wilchcombe yesterday, who labeled the move as an “error in judgment”.
Wilchcombe was responding to concerns raised by Marco City MP Micheal Pintard over the alleged treatment of scores of Urban Renewal employees.
The workers claimed they have been subjected to verbal abuse and intimidation by Lisa Rahming, minister of state with responsibility for social services and urban development.
Pintard indicated that he met with Wilchcombe over the issues and was assured that advised they would be addressed urgently and the proper process will be carried out as it relates to any staffing adjustments or review of employment contracts.
In an interview with Eyewitness News, Wilchombe verified that that meeting did in fact take place.
“I assured him that all that heard, we’ve now reversed in the sense that they were not terminations but a few was an error in judgment, an error in the approaches that were taken and made at the time,” he said.
“But there were no terminations.”
Wilchcombe said that there are individuals in Urban Renewal whose contracts have ended but officials are currently going through a process of analysis and review of the posts.
He continued: “We are also looking at how we are going to strengthen the offices. Some work is being done. So I think some members were told to leave office, some members were told to go on vacation, but we reversed all of that so everybody has returned to work today.
In his statement of Wednesday, Pintard said staff members claimed they were faced with mistreatment including expulsion from offices, changed locks, and discontinuation of services to the public.
He said Wilchcombe made it clear that “he intends to guard against arbitrary acts against government employees that are motivated by naked political considerations, that all too often result in disrespect of staff, disruption of the provision of public services to citizens, and the disenfranchisement of Bahamians who are diligently working to feed their families and help their communities.”
However, the social services minister insisted while the matter may be interpreted as political victimization, he assured Pintard that that’s not the case.
“There are many at Urban Renewal whose contracts have expired, been expired since January this year, but we are analyzing, looking at all the staff members, seeing the value, looking at what we are trying to do and how best to do it, but there is no victimization at all in our process,” Wilchcombe said.
When asked about the claims about Rahming, Wilchcombe said: “I think in the communication, that’s when things went a bit awry because other individuals who carry out assignments are sometimes are overzealous and equate some issues.”
He added: “She and I are in constant communication. She is diligently trying to get her work done. She is eager to make some things happen to satisfy the needs of many who are asking for home repairs in their communities.
“She and I have discussed the process, how we intend to proceed and how we intend to get things done. So I’m very optimistic that she is going to do a doggone good job because she truly understands the needs having been a member of the initial Urban Renewal program when it was introduced by [former prime minister] Perry Christie.”
There was no comment from the state minister on the matter up to press time.
