The Pratt and Morgan case established legal precedent with a time guideline a convicted person can be kept on ‘death row’. The 1993 judgement handed down by the Privy Council determined that if the state for any reason was unable to carry out the death sentence within a five year period, it was deemed cruel and inhumane punishment to the prisoner sitting on death row. The logic being that the death sentence should be carried out ‘speedily’ and any protracted period post death sentence represented death sentence plus mental torment.
Mental torment is defined as “a state of great bodily or mental suffering; agony; misery. something that causes great bodily or mental pain or suffering. a source of much trouble, worry, or annoyance”.
In a May 31, 2022 Nation newspaper report it was reported former workers of Grand Barbados Hotel have been waiting for severance payment to be settled. In cases where an employer does not pay severance, the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) makes the payment and seeks to recover the payment from the delinquent employer if possible. It therefore begs the question why former Grand Barbados employees should have to wait almost ten years to receive payments guaranteed under law. It is interesting to note Toni Moore was the Barbados Workers Union (BWU) representative at that time. Moore is the current General Secretary of the BWU and Member of Parliament for St. George North.
The blogmaster is of the view a similar mental torment affects employees who are made to wait protracted periods for severance payment. Although the employer should pay at first instance, the law affords protection in cases where this is not possible. Whatever due process/diligence has to be done CANNOT take ten years to complete. We have to start treating persons humanely. The blogmaster recalls the haste Minister Sinckler changed the disbursement criteria of the Industrial Credit Fund to pay Mark Maloney fees for constructing the overpriced Grotto housing units. There are several other examples to demonstrate who the cow likes he licks, who he does not he kicks.
What does it matter for the government to boast about all manner of things and we continue to fail to build a just society.
NIS Management Team
Ms. Kim Tudor – Director
Mrs. Frances Fontinelle-Walcott – Deputy Director
Mr. Trevor Gibbs – Chief Legal Officer
Mrs. Janice Estwick – Financial Controller
Mr. Luther Jones – Manager, Investments
Mr. Quincy Yarde – Chief Information Technology Officer
Mrs. Lee-Ann Mayers-Franklyn – Chief Internal Auditor
Mrs. Norma King-Brathwaite – Assistant Director, Benefits
Mr. Derek Lowe – Assistant Director, Customer Relations
Ms. Sophia Mings-Mascoll – Finance Officer, Compliance, Severance and Registration
Mrs. Carole Layne-Browne – Finance Officer, Collections
Mr. David Archer – Assistant Director, Human Resources and Administration
Ms. Katrina Bend- Marketing and Research Officer
The blogmaster invites you to join the discussion.