FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 10, 2012

DNA Throws Support behind Customs, Immigration Officers

For the past several months the agitation of Customs and immigration officers for better working conditions and a restructuring in their pay have gained momentum. These workers have met with government ministers and government representatives for several months in order to have their matters resolved.

In December, 2011 the Customs and Immigration officers took a strike vote because the Free National Movement (FNM) government did not act in good faith to address their needs. The government did not approve the strike vote until January of 2012.

In February of this year, the Prime Minister met with the Bahamas Customs, Immigration and Allied Workers Union (BCIAWU), but this meeting only produced rhetoric, because the Prime Minister did not follow through on any on the items discussed. He once again treated these workers as children.

The Democratic National Alliance (DNA) recognizes, more than ever, that Hubert Ingraham has no concern for the workers of this country.

DNA leader Branville McCartney said, “Bahamians call Ingraham Papa, but we see him for who he is. He is a prime minister that has caused a record amount of businesses to close, a record number of families to lose their homes and a record number of Bahamians to lose their jobs.”

The BCIAWU took gradual steps to agitate their concerns, and thus gave the government ample time to meet their demands. They have acted patiently and responsibly despite being treated by the government in an irresponsible and disrespectful manner. The DNA finds that the government is again putting the affairs of Bahamians last.

McCartney further says, “How can a government agree to pay 87 million dollars in cost overruns for the road project to a foreign company and not even consider the plight of custom and immigration workers, who work diligently daily by helping to secure our borders.”

Just last week the BCIAWU had a peaceful protest at several of their posts in New Providence. Several of these workers were allegedly arrested without cause. The BCIAWU believes that the workers that were arrested were singled out by the police. They contend that the FNM government directed the police to attend this peaceful protest and this has resulted in the damaged relationship between these three disciplined forces.

Customs and Immigration workers rescinded their membership by way of vote from the Bahamas Public Service Union (BPSU) in 2011. The BCIAWU claims that under the PLP government, the BPSU signed an agreement taking away the overtime pay from these workers, even though their base pay was lower than that of police and defense force workers. BCIAWU Vice President Sloan Smith said, “We will resume from where we ended because nothing has changed.”

Today, members of the BCIAWU staged a strike on Bay Street in protest of the unfair treatment that they have received from this government. The DNA stands with these workers and assures them that the treatment they are receiving will not happen under our government. We see the services provided by the BCIAWU as extremely critical to the healthy success of our country and we encourage all Bahamians to take notice of this latest action by this uncaring government and Vote DNA.