Tribunal hears case of former bank supervisor

The unfair dismissal case in which a former senior commercial bank employee allegedly attempted to leave the island four years ago with some US$22,000, continued today before the Employment Rights Tribunal (ERT).

Former Sales Supervisor with Republic Bank (Barbados) Limited Sonia Toppin is claiming she was unfairly dismissed in April 2016 based on allegations by the bank that she had committed an offence under the Foreign Exchange Control Regulations.

Under cross examination today by Toppin’s attorney Larry Smith, Q.C., senior manager responsible for Human Resources Yvonne Hall testified that the bank later received a letter from the Acting Comptroller of Customs regarding the money.

Barbados TODAY understands the money has been confiscated by the Customs Department.

At the time, no one was permitted to leave Barbados with more than the equivalent of Bds$7,500 in foreign currency per year according to the Central Bank of Barbados’s regulations.

This year, amendments were made to the legislation that jacked up that figure to the equivalent of Bds$20,000 per year for holiday travel and BDs$60,000 per year for business travel.

The ERT Commissioners were told today that the complainant was on vacation when the alleged incident occurred.

Admitting that the former employee was never given a copy of the Acting Comptroller’s correspondence on which the bank relied to make its decision, Hall also told the three-man tribunal that the letter did not say whether Customs was investigating the dismissed worker or whether her matter had been turned over to the Royal Barbados Police Force (RBPF).

Hall, who was the only witness to gave evidence at today’s hearing, also said in response to Smith, that she was unaware whether the complainant had ever been arrested in breach of the Foreign Exchange Control laws.

The senior bank manager went on to agree with Toppin’s legal counsel that nothing untoward was found in the former sales supervisor’s bank account, neither was there any indication the funds came from an “improper” source.

The tribunal, chaired by retired Appeal Court Justice Christopher Blackman, Q.C., also heard from the witness that she accepted the legitimacy of a document from the Barbados Public Workers’ Cooperative Credit Union Limited (BPWCCUL) which showed that Toppin had borrowed some Bds$37,000 or the equivalent of US$18,000.

She revealed, too, that the ex-senior staff member had at least one loan from Republic Bank, but could not recall the monthly payments.  She was not asked the value of the loan.

The hearing, which is taking place in the Warrens Office Complex, St Michael, was adjourned until December 9th with December 11 set aside for the possible conclusion of the case.

Republic Bank is being represented by attorney at law Kevin Boyce. (EJ)