TAKE A RAIN CHECK: Public sector hires and promotions “on hold” over suspicion of political interference

TAKE A RAIN CHECK: Public sector hires and promotions “on hold” over suspicion of political interference
Fred Mitchell

PLP suspects pre-election hires/promotions would act as “poison pill” for new admin

“You can’t assume that everyone promoted under the last regime was an FNM”

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Public Service Fred Mitchell yesterday confirmed that out of “an abundance of caution” the Davis administration has put “on hold” hires and promotions carried out under the former administration in the run-up to last month’s general election.

Mitchell told reporters yesterday: “What seems to have happened, looking at the actions in the last weeks of the administration, there was an attempt, it appears — I don’t want to say it is, so until we actually know the facts — to put what you call a ‘poison pill’.

“The idea was that it would hobble a new administration.

“Two things seemed to be in play; one was to offer an incentive to people to vote for the past administration and the second is a ‘poison pill’ so that presumably those who were promoted or hired were ‘supporters’ of the last administration and therefore would end up causing problems for the new administration.”

He added: “I think, out of an abundance of caution, you can’t say it’s all been rolled back but an instruction was issued through the secretary of the Cabinet to simply put everything on hold until we could get an opportunity to look at what’s actually going on and then make decisions going forward.

“I met in the Department of Public Service stacks of promotions and I suspect many of them were long overdue, so I don’t want to put a negative imprint on it.

“I think just out of an abundance caution we decided to do that and that applies to both the public corporations and the public service itself.”

Mitchell said the government’s intention is not to put people’s lives “on hold”, while noting that the issue is being addressed expeditiously.

“You can’t assume that everyone promoted under the last regime was an FNM (Free National Movement) supporter or hire. You can’t; it just doesn’t add up,” said Mitchell.

“In a small society, everyone is connected and you don’t want to be inflicting harm on anyone.”

1 comments

That is no more then far what Mr.mitchell is doing it is so sad what the F.N.M do to us I came under Mr.fitzgerald in 2013 I am still waiting on my permanent letter do well minster Mitchell may God continue to do right for the people.

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