by Linda Straker
- Government workers transferred or dismissed since change of administration
- Specific reference made to 5 working-class vulnerable women
- Grimes calls for terrorist acts against these women to be corrected
Brian Grimes, President of the Public Workers Union (PWU), said that his Union is appalled by the action taken by Javan Williams, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Carriacou and Petite Affairs, to transfer or dismiss government workers since the change of administration on 23 June 2022.
“We have had disturbing reports from the Sister Isle of what we will coin at this point as blatant victimisation. From the end of July to now, we have received those reports, and right now they are coming in weekly,” he announced during a news conference on Thursday, 18 August 2022.
Making specific reference to 5 working-class vulnerable women with monthly earnings ranging between EC$1,000 and EC$1,500 and who were either transferred or fired, Grimes said that none of the workers had been disciplined verbally or otherwise in recent times, and the sections in the Public Service regulations referred to the letters of dismissal or transfer are dubious.
Some of the workers allegedly engaged in political campaigning for the General Election in June, while others were accused of misconduct that could bring the public service into disrepute. “What we are seeing here is clothed in malice, is clothed in mischief, and is very, very unfortunate on the Sister Isles.” Grimes called on Tevin Andrews, the Member of Parliament for the constituency who is also the Minister for Carriacou and Petite Martinique Affairs, to correct the wrongdoings.
“I must confess to the Grenadian Public that I am an admirer of the Minister for Carriacou and Petite Martinique Affairs, Minister Tevin Andrews… but these acts, these terrorist acts against these women under his stewardship must be corrected. The union will not stand by this; the union will not stand by this. It took a lot for us to have this news conference. Every week we are getting new complaints; what is happening?” the President asked.
Recalling one of the platform messages of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) during the recent election campaign, Grimes said Prime Minister Hon Dickon Mitchell campaigned on a politics of cleanliness, peace, unity, and development.
“The politics of recrimination, acrimony, and political spite must be placed in the back of us for us to move forward as a country. This is extremely important for us to move forward. You cannot condemn acts of political victimisation on your political platform, and when you are placed in that same position, either you have a hand in it, or you turn a blind eye to said political victimisation on your fellow citizens,” Grimes said.
Moral of the story, you can never please everyone. NNP fired or moved/transferred people in droves. As a matter of fact, same Javon Williams got the wrath of NNP and was demoted. Let’s look at Rachel Robert’s, she just came from court, for the same matter of victimization she faced under NNP. Now NDC come, not even 2 months yet and doing the same thing the NNP did for years and it’s still complaining. In politics, there is a reality, those in leadership will give their “friends” favour. And, if the previous administration had several of these “friends” in positions and they were not qualified to do the work, but got it due to their loyalty to the party, shouldn’t any new govt coming on board seek to remedy that matter? Especially if the “friends” might be doing a disservice to the people e.g. coming to work late, taking a 2 hour lunch, and then their bags are packed since 3:30 pm and then they leave at 3:55 pm. If you became the new boss, and heard about these things going on for the last 10 years, would you allow it to continue? If you are renovating a building, it usually requires “gutting” I.e. taking out some of the old flooring etc and putting in new. Why are we expecting all to remain the same in any process of change/ renovation? No matter who is there… green, yellow, red, blue, or black, they will all make changes, you would too, if it were you. Let’s stop the complaining and offer solutions that will better our future.