Scott Expresses Concern About M&P ‘Inattention’
Shadow Minister of Transport Lawrence Scott expressed his concern at what he termed the “continued and complete inattention” by the Minister of Tourism & Transport Shawn Crockwell, saying it is “inviting a recurrence of an earlier work stoppage‘of the organised members of Marine & Ports.”
Mr. Scott said that the “reported creation of new posts within the department, seemingly tailored for non-Bermudian workers, while ignoring the capable, qualified Bermudians in the department has generated a major concern among the staff.”
Mr. Scott said, “This development, along with the apparent failure of the Government to follow through with their promise of performing an internal audit, demanded by the BIU Division of Marine & Ports, to examine claims of mismanagement and overspending [one of the key reasons the workers stopped their initial industrial action], currently, are in danger of threatening the existing industrial truce.
Mr. Scott said that to his knowledge the promised [audit] review has not even begun. He added that the “issue of cost over-runs go to the heart of of Government’s inability to sustain a robust maintenance schedule with the respective ferries and critical equipment at Marine & Ports.
“Consequently, for example, the Minister at a significant cost to the public purse and Marine & Ports budget, engaged Bermuda in the controversial lease of the Non-Bermudian crew and charter ferry Millenium.”
Mr. Scott continued, “Minister Crockwell promised that the Millennium would depart the island at the conclusion of the 2013 season, a promise that was subsequently broken as the Millennium only left last week.
“This has to be of grave concerned to all involved, because, again, it would appear that the charter ferry is set to return at a tremendous cost to the taxpayer; while, the underlying issues of maintenance, and repair schedules, that the Minister claimed created the need for the Millennium have been ignored and unaddressed.
“Also, unfortunately, the following would appear to be only a couple of the growing shopping list of grievances that threaten the possibility of achieving any semblance of good industrial relations, in addition to the outstanding matter already cited:
- “The seeming penalizing of workers who participated in strike action by the withholding of their pay beyond the normal deductions that have been traditionally been made for previous industrial action;
- “The Minister’s repeated refusal to meet with the workers regarding their grievances has worsened already strained relations between management and the workers.
“What we are witnessing is what happens when a Minister ignores his responsibilities and fails to demonstrate leadership in the Ministry for which he is responsible,” added Mr. Scott.
The Shadow Minister said Minister Crockwell “needs to arise from his administrative slumber” and take the following actions immediately:
- Implement the audit that was promised to the workers;
- Examine the merit of the worker’s request that the existing practice of rotating Permanent Secretaries be implemented at Marine & Ports – sooner rather than later;
- Reverse the alleged punitive measures taken against the Marine & Ports workers who were forced to resort to ‘a work stoppage’ after months of being ignored and avoided by the Minister
Mr. Scott concluded by saying, “Marine & Ports workers are hardworking and diligent Bermudians who have expressed genuine concerns about the way business is being mishandled in their department.
“They don’t want another ‘work stoppage’, but the Minister must begin to swiftly to engage with the people in this Ministry if he is to ensure that a more open and collaborative approach between management and labour is to be achieved.”
No money. Bermuda is broke. PLP spent it all – what don’t you undrestand? Both bridges at east end broken, parking meter at airport is temporarily out of order since last year. Roads covered in potholes. Most of the Ferries out of order. Buses parked. One way traffic on Marsh Folly for over a year. Lighthouse falling down. Ain’t no money. PLP spent it on private planes to bring in suspected terrorists and support them for the rest of their lives. So go on strike please. Let’s get it over and done.
IF there is no MONEY, why are the OBAubp creating new post within the Ministry? What even more a sin is that it is for NON-Bermudians.
“Mr. Scott said that the “reported creation of new posts within the department, seemingly tailored for non-Bermudian workers, while ignoring the capable, qualified Bermudians in the department has generated a major concern among the staff.”
Mr Scott is 100% correct to highlight these key factors. The Government is not addressing these issues. After all the OBAubp did claim they would be the great fixers for Bermuda.
MORE MONEY WASTED YEAH……
“This has to be of grave concerned to all involved, because, again, it would appear that the charter ferry is set to return at a tremendous cost to the taxpayer; while, the underlying issues of maintenance, and repair schedules, that the Minister claimed created the need for the Millennium have been ignored and unaddressed.”
Ferry costed us the Tax Payer more money than ever, do not mention the fuel charges it eat up while in Bermuda. Looks like it was just cheaper for the government to purchase another ferry in the long run…look at the numbers first before blasting off nonsense to protect your Minster..
“Consequently, for example, the Minister at a significant cost to the public purse and Marine & Ports budget, engaged Bermuda in the controversial lease of the Non-Bermudian crew and charter ferry Millenium.”
Scott are you STUPID ???? The PLP started the process of bringing the boat here. Your example is a complaint against the PLP. SMDH, are you that clueless!!!!?
The Minister is paying attention. You’re just trying to create havoc again ahead of summer. Why is the PLP always trying to cause anarchy?
IF the Minister is paying attention, why is he failing to address key issues within the Marine and Ports department. Talk is cheap and Action is more effective method of dealing with these outstanding issues.
“The Minister’s repeated refusal to meet with the workers regarding their grievances has worsened already strained relations between management and the workers.
Refusal to meet with the staff does not sound like a Minister whom is paying attention, more so doing anything to improve the situation. GET REAL.
In case, you were asleep, Betty, my love, Lawrence Scott’s complaining here is pretty much moot because the Minister of Home Affairs Michael Fahy has been dealing with union matters and that INCLUDES Marine and Ports. He has even publicly stated it and Brother Furbert has also said the same. How on Earth do you, Lawrence Scott or anyone else even know that Minister Crockwell hasn’t been dealing with this? You just don’t know. Admit it.
Stop trying to cause trouble ahead of the summer season.
STOP PROTECTING YOUR MINISTER< if he was dealing with it, there would be no action by the workers. REALLY Why NO results for the Workers to date? PLEASE
Here’s an instructional story Betty. Perhaps you could show it to Furbert next time you see him.
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/ups-fires-250-employees-staging-143805147.html
didn’t hear a lick from you nor the BIU when the ferries were deteriorating and the maintenance crews declined training by the manufactures…NOW yur shouting from the rooftop about the situation? both You and Renee Ming (St. Georges LFUCC joke)…..uuuugh!
Is the pay that is being withheld the correct amount or the ‘traditional’ amount? Perhaps it’s time the taditional amount became the correct amount. It may also be time to review the viability of maintaining these ferries at all. It doesn’t appear that that was considered when they were purchased.
If the other grievances are not being attended to they should be and the OBA gets no pass on that, but Mr. Scott needs to upfront remind the public how these problems came to be – the inattention of his party was worse than the present – and longer.
As for the Millenium – welcome back. It was nice to go through a tourist season without major inconveniences to our guests.
I dont have a problem with the Millennium being here. My problem is that in addition to the $1.2 million contract, we the tax payer paid to house them, their electricity, cable bill, phone bill, internet bill, transportation to and from the airport every time the rotated crew (every 2 or 3 weeks) not just for the duration of the contracted season but for the 5 or so months that they were sitting idle waiting to go back home too. On top of that, the promised maintenance for our own ferries never took place nor does it look like will take place. The opposition should be asking for a detailed breakdown of ALL money spent for the Millennium and crew. We could surely have negotiated a better deal from the onset because its clear the Millennium didn’t have any work in the states anyway as evidenced by the ferry sitting here all autumn and winter while we paid for the crew to stay here on vacation.
WELL SAID @RUBBER BUNG, this is something that the diehard blindfaithfulness supporters love to overlook.
You have highlighted some key facts and Questions that the brilliant young MP Scott needs to put before the house of Assembly upon return. The numbers figures will likely really open up this situation for what it is.
thanks for your insightful comment
“brilliant”…?? oh yah.. dey got you goood..
Well maybe the opposition should be asking themselves how could they make such a tremendous screw up when they negotiated the contract in the first place ?
Well done PLP, you’ve succeeded in creating another glory hound and or puppet. The jury is still out one this clown.
As they say, the fruit don’t too far from the tree. Just like the Old Man, loose cannon on deck shooting in all directions hoping to hit something.
Maybe he should have a little chat around the dinner table & find out who got us in this situation & why we are now too broke to fix it in a timely fashion.
The fruit don’t FALL.
What I get for being in a hurry.
This is a brilliant young MP, who does not require a consultant to write his speeches or tell him when to speak, until the nonsense we see coming from the OBAubp side of the bench. Entire back bench whom seldom speak in the house, or only when told. So get real here, this guy is brilliant and smart.
Keep pushing on MP Scott, your an excellent example of the youthful talent coming out of the PLP. More so a great example for our young males in Bermuda.
So you think his dad don’t have a say?
Simply speaking for the sake of it accomplishes nothing. There is plenty of proof for this.
“Brilliant” is an overused and under appreciated adjective.
Lawrence Scott, when did you start getting paid by the BIU, as that is what it seems is the case based on this incredibly biased perspective?
Mr. Scott concluded by saying, “Marine & Ports workers are hardworking and diligent Bermudians who have expressed genuine concerns about the way business is being mishandled in their department. The workers are not going to lie, as that serves NO purpose for them There are real issue at work within the department, which have fallen on deaf ears for sometime now. So the Minister does need to get up off his butt and work hard at addressing these outstanding issues.
Some of what he is saying is true…The current Ferries DO need a fixing up..”ITS THE PLP’S FAULT” has to stop…Please, tell me that you all are under 18 yrs old, because some of you sound like babies with that line…THEY NEED FIXING!!! The ferries will make money(at least that’s the point)… Take some of the $$$$ from the TAB and fix them up…or we’ll be paying another one point something million dollars to “rent” another ferry from overseas…either way we’ll he to fork out the $$$$…either that or tourism will decline even more(due to poor service)…- peace
*we’ll have to fork…*
Neither ferrys or buses make money. Both are susidised by a huge percentage. If they a privatised they will still lose money. The taxpayer will still have to pay to subsidise them. The only way to make them profitable will be to boost the fares by a huge amount.
Privatising will make them more efficient through productivity of labour & better use of assets.
The ferries lose money.
Betty sees never sees any fault in the PLP it’s ashame.
more plp veiled THREATS!
btw,,,we don’t care if you go on strike or stop work!
If Scotts father Alex had not chosen Proactive to build Berkeley (against advice from his consultants) we could have had enough money to buy and maintain many ferries!