Employees of the Bahamas’ Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) organized a demonstration outside the Office of the Prime Minister on Tuesday, demanding resolution to long-standing promotion and regularization disputes. The protest saw staff members gathering near Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis’s vehicle while holding placards with messages including “Silence is compliance. We choose to speak” and “No fight. No fuss. Just pay us.”
Bahamas Public Service Union (BPSU) President Kimsley Ferguson revealed to journalists that multiple attempts to engage government officials, including Economic Affairs Minister Michael Halkitis, have failed to address the unresolved personnel matters. Ferguson expressed particular concern about the implementation of a new career progression framework that has created uncertainty among employees who qualified for advancement under the previous system.
“The implementation of new systems without proper consultation has adversely affected the terms and conditions of these dedicated professionals,” Ferguson stated, emphasizing that the transition should not have occurred without union collaboration. He noted the ironic circumstance of DICT staff—many of whom work within the Prime Minister’s Office—having to abandon their posts to demonstrate outside the very building where they serve.
The union leader urged government action before the next general election, highlighting the critical role DICT personnel play in maintaining digital services across government agencies. He called for immediate meetings between the prime minister, relevant ministers, and union representatives to address these concerns.
Jannette Pratt, a senior system network officer, provided additional context, explaining that line staff have awaited reclassification and promotions for years despite the introduction of the new ICT scale. According to Pratt, only five executive managers have thus far benefited from promotions, reclassifications, and back pay under the new system, while rank-and-file employees remain in limbo.
Pratt indicated that recent industrial action by nurses over unpaid overtime influenced the DICT protest, noting the particular irony that DICT officers would typically be responsible for processing such back pay payments for other government employees.