Union still to fill top role

Nearly a week after General Secretary of the National Union of Public Workers (NUPW) Delcia Burke retired from the organisation, a successor is still to be named.

In fact, NUPW president Akanni McDowall has said he doesn’t know when the island’s main public sector union will have its next general secretary.

The search for Burke’s replacement started during the latter part of 2020 when she announced her decision to retire at the end of that year.

“It is something that has to be decided by various groups. We have to meet shortly to discuss it at the level of the executive then we have to meet with council again. We were discussing it since last year. I can’t give a timeline,” McDowall told Barbados TODAY this afternoon.

In the meantime, Deputy General Secretary Wayne Walrond is acting in the vacant role.

Soon after Burke gave notice of her decision to quit and people were invited to apply, Walrond sent in his application and told Barbados TODAY then that he is the best man for the job having spent many years in the union and having acted on several occasions.

The role of general secretary has attracted major attention in recent months. Roslyn Smith, who preceded Burke in the position, has placed the union before the Employment Rights Tribunal (ERT) claiming she was unfairly dismissed from her post as general secretary while she was on sick leave.

Smith insists that she is still general secretary and is claiming close to half million dollars in compensation. (EJ)