2 dismissed NFMU employees receive compensation after 20 years

– probe reveals “managerial indecency” root of wrongful dismissals

By Kristen Macklingam

Two former employees of the National Frequency Management Unit (NFMU) that were dismissed some 20 years ago recently received their benefits after investigations revealed that the duo was wrongfully dismissed.

This was revealed on Thursday by the Ministry of Social Protection’s Labour Department and the Public Telecommunications Ministry that collaborated to probe the age-old dismissal.
Consultant at the Social Protection Ministry, and advisor to the subject Minister there, Francis Carryl, told reporters that this matter was handled in the “normal course of business” by the Labour Department at his Ministry and that regardless of the date that complaints are filed, they will be investigated.
“Because of the historical nature 20 years ago of this case, there are some things that were involved that one would not want to talk about, very serious issues. What we are concerned with is the injustices which were inflicted on these men they were really corrected. No matter how long it takes, as long as the Ministry of Social Protection is concerned, and once we are involved…we will ensure that any and every injustice is overturned because we operate on the philosophy that every act of injustice has a shelf life”.
He stated that he was a co-author of the report on this investigation into the dismissal of two senior managers at the NFMU in 1998, Keith Griffith and Robert Ross, whose services were terminated under “questionable circumstances”.
Carryl pointed out that the two Ministries investigated the complaints which required the examination of available historical records which were more than a decade old, and interviewed relevant personnel, some of whom were already retired.  After an in-depth investigation, no evidence was unearthed to justify or substantiate the actions taken against these employees.
He also added that managerial indecency was at root of the dismissal of those two men.
“The Ministry of Social Protection, in pursuit of justice, concluded that a grave wrong had been done to the two men and therefore submitted that the dismissal should not be allowed to stand. The recommended course of action is compensation, and that recommendation has been endorsed by the Attorney General’s Chambers. Thus, the Ministry of Social Protection is delighted to announce that the recommendation has been implemented”.
According to the Consultant, the matter was independently probed and last month (August), Griffith and Ross each received a settlement which they were satisfied with and legal documents were inked in this regard.
Meanwhile, Permanent Secretary at the Public Telecommunications Ministry, Derrick Cummings, stated that the duo has received what they are entitled to despite the matter occurring 20 to 21 years ago.
He noted that one of the two men is presently not enjoying “very good health” and that the Ministry wanted to ensure that this matter was completed in a timely manner so that both former NFMU employees could have the justice they deserved.
Additionally, Permanent Secretary of the Department of Public Service, Karen Vansluytman-Corbin, who had been the Acting Chief Labour Officer when the probe commenced some three to four years ago, expressed satisfaction that Griffith and Ross received what is rightfully theirs.