Banking union slams Central Bank Act amendments

THE Banking, Insurance and General Workers Union (BIGWU) has strongly condemned what it says is Government’s “brazen attempt” to amend the Central Bank Act to give the Finance Minister the authority to direct the Central Bank Governor to disclose to him, information about staff salary, organisation structure, vacancies and other employment information.

The union represents workers of Central Bank.

In a statement, BIGWU said the amendment to the Government’s Miscellaneous Provisions (Tax Amnesty, Pensions, Freedom of Information, National Insurance, Central Bank and Non-Profit Organisations) Bill, 2019, not only removed the bank’s independence but also made the minister the “de facto CEO and head of the day-to-day operations of the bank.”

“Moreover, the amendment contravenes the general privacy principles of the Data Protect Act which states at section 6( c) that: Knowledge and consent of the individual are required for the collection, use or disclosure of personal information,” the union pointed out.

“The right of workers to privacy is now about to be stripped,” the union warned, adding that “without thyme or reason, the Government proposes to make a law the break the existing law.”

The BIGWU said it joined the mounting public outcry against the measure and called for the withdrawal of the clause.

The union also weighed in on the proposed amendment to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and said it supported the call for the withdrawal of clause 7 and allow full public discussion and consultation.

The amendment to Section 56 of the Central Bank Act states that notwithstanding subsection (1) that Bank shall within 7 days of receiving a written request from the Ministry, cause to be transmitted to the Ministry such information as the Minister may specify in the request regarding: a) the salary and other terms and conditions of employment of the Governor, Deputy Governors, directors, officers and employees of the Bank; b) the organisational structure of the Bank; c) the number of current or former officers and employees of the Bank; d) the number of filled or vacant positions and e) such other matters relating to the employment of staff as the minister thinks fit.

The Miscellaneous Provisions Amendment Bill was passed in the early hours of Saturday, which included the amendments to the Central Bank Act.