The National Newspaper of St. Vincent and the Grenadines
FRIDAY,
MAY 31, 2013
Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister and Minster with responsibility for air and sea ports, has stated emphatically that there will be re-structuring at the Port.
VOLUME 107, No.21
EC$1.50
by JP SCHWMON 22nd and Thursday 23rd May 2013 were the most recent in a series of actions undertaken by the Port officers’ trade union representatives, the Public Service Union, as it sought redress for their wronged brethren. Previously, the local law courts ruled that the officers operated within the boundaries of their service codes and were subsequently vindicated for their application of standard operating procedures in the restraint of an irate visitor to the uptown port facilities. However, this ruling was somewhat too late, as the officers’ fates were already decided and their sole income streams terminated. The court, meanwhile, found the Port’s client to be guilty on some six counts of misconduct and gross disrespect for the All in favour of the officers uniformed officers. According to Cools Vanloo, The incidents surrounding current President of the PSU, their sacking occurred both Browne and Douglas sometime around early were advised to refuse the November last year and token monetary compensation involved a “client of the Port” proffered by the SVG Port who, it is alleged, is the son of Authority following the a Unity Labour Party verdict. This, he explained, financier. was because this case was The hearings which one for either “full occurred last Wednesday compensation right up to
SPECULATION IS RIFE following the conclusion of a Labour Commissioner appointed hearing of a case of the unfair dismissal of two Port Police officers, that contrary to recent comments made by this country’s Prime Minister, Dr. Ralph E. Gonsalves, he might after all be implicated in at least two Vincentians losing their jobs here. THE VINCENTIAN newspaper understands that a probe into the grounds for Lenny Douglas, Port Police the dismissal of the two Port Corporal 134, is still at home even after a hearing officer ruled Police officers, Ian Browne and Lenny Douglas, by the that he and his colleague, Ian Hearing Officer, purports Browne, should be reinstated. that beyond what amounted to orders from on high, may be as high as the Office of the Prime Minister, there was no real basis on which to relieve the gentlemen of their posts.
Cools Vanloo, President of the PSU, advised that it is in the best interest of the Port to reinstate the officers quickly.
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Above: The public is wondering who is making the decisions for the SVG Port Authority. Party more than myself. I spoke to a good few of them who indicated to me that they cannot vote for ULP again and they can’t vote NDP, so they not voting.” The father of two dependent children, and primary provider for his wife, is still attempting to rationalize his predicament. He raised two possible scenarios that, to him, could Port officer bears all account for his dismissal. On the one hand, he relates a Today, despite the Hearing conversation in which he may Officer’s recommendations have remarked that “ULP is that the Port not await his better than the NDP by far, written Order but instead act but ULP is doing everything post haste to reinstate the within their power to lose the officers, Lenny Douglas tells next general election: if they THE VINCENTIAN, “I am (ULP) not put their house still at home catching me nen together.” The other scenario —nen. I am wondering if the he deems as logical relates to PM instructed them not to both Browne and himself reinstate us. This is the having had something of a Labour Government that I record for making more supported and voted into arrests “on the Port for power….” controlled drugs than the Douglas is a self-professed drug squad did… so I think “ULP supporter in Central they really want us off the Kingstown with a family of port.” six (6) votes,” and stressed, “I will vote for them if I love my Continued on Page 3.
retirement or immediate reinstatement.” The Port Authority’s refusal on both counts allowed the issue to be presented to the local Labour Commissioner, who was obliged to submit it for a hearing since the matter had exhausted his level of the (appellation) chain, as set out in the Employment Protection Act.