Cover of the Bermuda Tourism Authority Culture Assessment final report.
HAMILTON, Bermuda--Spending by the Bermuda Tourism Authority (BTA) on possible settlement packages or separation agreements for former staff members is exempt from public disclosure, the organisation’s information officer has found.
It was determined that “to the extent such agreements exist” they would be covered by confidentiality clauses.
The decision came after a public access to information (PATI) request by “The Royal Gazette” sought details from the BTA about expenditure for settlement packages or separation agreements to former employees of the quango (organisation established by government but independent of government – in this case, the BTA – to consider a subject of public importance) from January 1, 2022, to January 8 this year.
The BTA’s information officer said in February that the organisation was “undertaking internal consultation regarding whether access to the requested information is in the public interest”.
He added then that a substantive response would be provided by April 2.
On Friday, April 4, the information officer told the “Gazette”: “To the extent such agreements exist, they would be subject to confidentiality provisions, which would prohibit the disclosure of their terms and/or existence. Further, such agreements would also contain personal information, the BTA’s commercial information and sensitive information in relation to the BTA’s operations.
“Under the Public Access to Information Act 2010, records are exempt from disclosure where they contain information received in confidence, personal information, commercial information and/or sensitive information in relation to the operations of public authorities.”
“The Gazette” has asked the BTA for an internal review of the information officer’s decision on the basis of public interest.
Its original PATI request in January followed an e-mail – seen by the “Gazette” – sent last December by Owen Darrell, the tourism minister, when he asked the BTA board for a written report of the expenditure for settlement packages or separation agreements to former employees over the three years to December 31, 2024.
When asked in February whether Darrell had received the information he sought, a response from government did not answer that question.
In just over 2.5 years 30 staff members have left the BTA, including 23 employees who resigned or left through mutual separation, between June 1, 2022, and January 8 this year. Separately, it was confirmed by the BTA board last week that two executive members of staff were on administrative leave.
While the board’s statement did not name the two staff members, they were understood to be Tracy Berkeley, the Chief Executive, and Tashae Thompson, the Vice President of Experiences.
The BTA board said at the time that Erin Wright, the Chief Operations Officer, was serving as the Acting Chief Executive.
A highly critical review of the workplace environment, which was released to the public last month, found that “mistrust”, “domineering” and “siloed” were words consistently used when interviewees described the culture at the BTA.
An executive summary included in the report compiled said: “Additionally, respondents indicated that there is a lack of accountability within the organisation, both at a work-performance level and from behaviours that were seen as unprofessional and domineering. This was coupled with the sentiment that processes and procedures related to raising issues or concerns lacked consistency, integrity, accountability and confidentiality.”
The report said all 35 staff at the BTA were surveyed last November and 80% responded. More than half of the character traits used to describe the workplace culture were positive, it showed, and it was also noted that the negative traits used carried low to medium “severities of risk”.
Former BTA Chairman Wayne Caines quit his post in February.
William Griffith, a former Director of Tourism for the government of Bermuda, was made Acting Chairman at a special meeting on March 3. He said of the culture review last month: “This does not mark the end of the process; it’s a bold beginning. The board is committed to working to ensure that the BTA becomes a model for openness.”
The board later announced the launch of “an extensive human resources audit and cultural reset initiative” to focus on the introduction of “meaningful improvements to enhance employee engagement and organisational effectiveness”.
A source told the “Gazette” last week that not all staff at the BTA felt “bullied” and “siloed”, and some were dismayed at the suspension of Berkeley, who has been in charge of the publicly funded tourism authority since June 2022.
The person, who had knowledge of the situation and asked not to be identified, said they were not alone in feeling that Berkeley – whom they described as a “CEO who is very vocal and stands up, does the right thing” – had been made a scapegoat.
The source also spoke highly of Thompson, whom they described as “passionate, always fighting for people, always fighting for staff”. ~ The Royal Gazette ~
