National Security Minister Marvin Dames refuted claims on Tuesday that dozens of prison officers were terminated from The Bahamas Department of Corrections (BDOC) this week.
Dames explained to Eyewitness News yesterday that many prison officers, who have reached retirement age, will be reinstated on a year to year contract.
“All of all of those officers will be reengaged,” Dames said.
“They will get their contracts … they were not fired.”
Dames said that the delay in the renewal of contracts is customary, as those applications have to be vetted by the Public Service.
“The prison has this practice where they would tell the guards to wait to get their contracts back, that would allow them back to work,” he explained.
“… they are technically retired, but they were not fired. Due process just has to take place.”
Dames could not give a specific number as it relates to those who were impacted by this process and were waiting on renewal. He said however, that the correctional facility is adequately manned by staff.
“It’s not a must for their contracts to be… It’s like everywhere else, once your contract is up and you reached that pensionable age, you are technically retired,” he said.
“We want them to know that it’s not a right that your contract is approved because now the process is more now performance based. Those persons however, will be reengaged.”
