“Utter rubbish!” – Director of Finance and Economic Affairs responds to accusations

Director of Finance and Economic Affairs, Ian Carrington has responded to a media report in which head of the Unity Workers Union (UWU), Senator Caswell Franklyn, has accused the Government of accessing the bank accounts of striking nurses and seizing money.

Mr. Carrington has described the charge as “utter rubbish”.

Here is the full statement:

“Total and complete foolishness. Utter rubbish!”

That was the response of Director of Finance and Economic Affairs, Ian Carrington, to a news story in today’s Press in which head of Unity Workers Union (UWU), Senator Caswell Franklyn, accused the Government of accessing the bank accounts of striking nurses and seizing money.

“That is utter and complete rubbish,” Carrington said. “The Government of Barbados, in accordance with the Public Service Act, which requires that the pay of workers be withheld any time they are on strike, has withheld the pay of those workers for the days they did not come to work.

“The Government of Barbados has no ability or authority to access anyone’s bank account at any commercial bank; and therefore, even if it wants to, it is in no position to do so. The Government is in no position to issue instructions to any banking institution, as Senator Franklyn alleges.

“Let me make it clear. We have no power to issue such instructions. We have no access to the accounts of public officers at commercial banks. We have issued no such instructions to any financial institution. It is total and complete foolishness.”