NUPW president in fresh controversy as elections loom

President of the National Union of Public Workers (NUPW) Akanni McDowall finds himself at the centre of yet another brewing dispute, Barbados TODAY has learned.

In the latest controversy, a member of the NUPW National Council, Michelle Cave, is threatening to bring a no-confidence motion against McDowall whom she is accusing of blatantly opposing recommendations to have the upcoming union elections online amid  fears by members who are still anxious about public spaces in the ongoing COVID-19 environment.

Cave told Barbados TODAY that on Saturday evening during the Annual General Meeting (AGM), McDowall unilaterally threw out the recommendation by the elections committee to set June 23 as the new date for the elections, instead of June 15. She said the committee asked for an extended time to conduct the elections via a computer application and email.

She touted the ElectionsRunner app as a secure and cost-effective way of running the NUPW elections during the course of the pandemic, charging that McDowall has ignored the elections body’s requests.

She said: “Flagrantly disregarding everything, the president puts down the gavel and says, ‘this meeting is adjourned’ the elections will be physical on June 15. The whole place is now up in arms because not only were people still on the floor speaking to the matter, not only did the elections committee report not get read out and discussed, but the entire process of the elections has to be spoken out and clarified and directed for the secretariat to roll out the elections process.”

Cave who intends to run for the position of vice president in the upcoming elections indicated that councillors and the elections committee could not understand the strong opposition from the president considering that it is obvious that adjustments have to be made to the elections this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

She said: “The elections committee, after working hard trying to make a safe, secure, easy, elections process for the members, did not even get to table [its report]. It took five attempts from the floor to get the president to entertain somebody at the microphone to speak to this elections committee report. The elections committee has been working since February, March to try and figure out the best way in this climate to keep our members safe. This has been the priority of both the committee and the council.”

Accusing McDowall of playing  “games”, Cave said that while she respects the post of president, she has no confidence “in the president’s position because too many times he has flagrantly disregarded the rules of the organisation and the members’ wishes”.

She claimed that members are “hugely upset” with the president’s stance, but the majority are afraid to speak out on the matter.

Cave said: “I am putting together a no-confidence vote and we will see where it goes. I intend for it to stick because it is just too often now. Unless we can get the General Secretary [Wayne Walrond] to move to allow a Council meeting expressly for organizing the elections, to secure the elections.

“Another thing with this ElectionsRunner program which is very cheap is its security. One cannot cheat with this app. I am not saying that that is why it’s not being entertained. I am saying that it allows no cheating. I am just a councillor, as usual, looking out for the affairs of the members.”

Barbados TODAY reached out to McDowall but calls and messages to the president’s mobile phone went answered.

When reached, NUPW General Secretary Wayne Walrond, who is also the chairman of the elections committee, declined to comment on the developments.

(anestahenry@barbadostoday.bb)