BUT Appeal Committee Appointed

The appeals committee was appointed at the union’s headquarters on Monday following a general meeting conducted by the union’s leadership.

BUT Secretary General Stephen McPhee said in a release Thursday that the union held a general membership meeting at Walkers Hall Monday to discuss the next steps with the union’s group insurance plan and to appoint an appeals committee in accordance with rule 10 of the constitution.

The committee will hear and determine the president’s appeal of her pending suspension. The secretary general noted that he received a formal letter of appeal from the president dated October 21.

He said in accordance with rule 10.2 of the constitution, the appeals committee will hear and determine the president’s appeal within 21 days or by November 16.

The secretary general said he would facilitate and support the work of the appeals committee. In the interim, he noted that the suspension of the president has been deferred, pending the decision of the appeals committee.

With questions about the credibility of the members appointed to the appeals committee, Mr. McPhee said it is expected that the appeals committee would be objective and impartial.

He said members are very concerned about the fact that all three members on the committee attended the president’s press conference, which was held on October 19 to address her suspension.

Mr. McPhee noted however that the president or the executive committee can appeal the decision of the appeals committee to the 63rd annual general meeting, which will be held in June 2010.

The decision of the annual general meeting, he said, shall be final.  

Mrs. Wilson recently revealed her plans to appeal the decision to suspend her after she admitted to accessing $65,000 of union funds without going through the proper channels.

She told the Bahama Journal last week that while she planned to appeal the council’s move, she does not plan to make it a public matter, despite news of her suspension being leaked to the media.