Litigation could arise from at least one of the executive managerial changes recently made at the Grand Bahama Port Authority, according to Prime Minister Perry Christie.
The Journal has learnt that former Deputy Chairman Willie Moss is expected to take legal action against the Port after her position was made redundant.
Ms. Moss joined GBPA as legal counsel in 1980, was promoted to general counsel in 1982, and appointed deputy chairman in 1998. From March 2003 until March 2005, Mrs. Moss also held the position of president of the GBPA.
Mr. Christie, who spoke in an exclusive interview with The Bahama Journal on Tuesday, did not go into any further details on who may sue, and did not name Ms. Moss specifically.
He also said he had spoken with former Port Chairman and CEO Julian Francis before and after his decision to resign from the organization several weeks ago.
He said he is satisfied that if Mr. Francis felt aggrieved in any way, he would have already indicated as much.
“I feel that in all the discussions I have had with them, they (Port executives) made it a point to deal with him with the dignity that is commanded of our country and that his record deserves. And so, he is obviously satisfied with whatever settlement they arrived at,” the prime minister said.
“With respect to the others, representations have not been made. I inquired officially as to the reasoning and I would simply leave it there because I am told that at least one of the matters is subject to litigation.”
Progressive Liberal Party Senator Philip Galanis recently reiterated his concerns about the recent changes in the executive team at the Port Authority, calling what happened “a wholesale dumping of Bahamians in senor management positions.”
He charged that it was offensive that the Port Authority had immediately appointed Austrian businessman Hannes Babak to replace Mr. Francis, a Bahamian.
Mr. Francisﾒs resignation was followed by that of Barry Malcolm, who served as the Portﾒs executive vice president.
Soon after, the Port made Ms. Mossﾒs position redundant.
Only last week, two of the Portﾒs directors ﾖ attorneys Sharon Wilson and Sean McWeeney ﾖ resigned.
Mr. Galanis subsequently called on the government to get involved.
He said the government ought to require the Port Authority to produce manpower projections to ensure that the Bahamianization policy is being adhered to.
As far as the PLP senator sees things, Port officials should also have the courtesy of telling the government who they will be appointing as directors.
When asked to comment on such sentiments, Prime Minister Christie said, “The government is always involved.”
But he added, “The government has to be very careful with respect to the companies, the owners of which in consultation with the government have indicated a particular course of action [they] wish to take.”
Mr. Christie assured that Port Authority officials kept the government informed of everything they would wish to take place.
“Every person affected has the right to appeal to the government and to the prime minister. I have had no such appeal made to me by any person affected by the decisions of the Portﾒs new leadership,” he said.
“Most certainly, Senator Galanis has the right to ask, but I would simply respond by saying that we have the Grand Bahama Port Authority as a very strong legislative partner under constant watch, and so it is something that we have to do, and unless something offends public policy we feel that acting properly, we ought to allow the owners to take the course of action that they have.”
The Portﾒs corporate responsibilities include the management of Freeport, commercial and real estate development, licensing and regulatory functions, utilities operations and municipal services functions.
The prime minister spoke with The Bahama Journal following the official opening of the Pinewood Gardens summer baseball camp in that New Providence constituency.
By: Macushla N. Pinder, The Bahama Journal
