Redman: Appointments long overdue

PRESIDENT of the Barbados Secondary Teachers’ Union Mary Redman is not leading any cheering squad for the announcement of plans to appoint temporary workers in the public service, because according to her, this move is long overdue.

 

Redman who is currently out of the island, said she has not yet read the Budget or heard the presentation, but has been given reports of the announcement by Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, Chris Sinckler, that all temporary public officers with more than three years continuous service will be appointed.

 

Speaking to The Barbados Advocate yesterday, she said, “I don’t know what the song and dance would be about at this point in time because persons were waiting since January 1, 2008, who had qualified under the Public Service Act, for appointment. So persons were waiting for appointment in excess of ten years.”

 

“Public servants have been disadvantaged in terms of loans, mortgages, promotional opportunities, in relation to the delay in their appointments and the government has been guilty of breaking the law. Because the Public Service Act clearly states that after a year acting in a temporary capacity, then the public officer should be appointed. Therefore, public officers have been disappointed by their non-appointment for too long,” she exhorted.

 

To this end, she reiterated that news of the appointments is no major achievement. The Finance Minister during his Budget speech on Tuesday, revealed that a committee is to advise Cabinet on the procedure, methodology, and legal requirement for the execution of a programme to appoint the officers.

 

“In the coming weeks it is our intention to speak more specifically to the details of this initiative and the work of this committee, but I would like to say to those officers who currently suffer from this particular ailment that your Government has heard your cries and help is on the way,” the Finance Minister said. (JH)