Republic Bank will be offering an On-the-Job training opportunity to a Port-of-Spain student following concerns by the Jamaat al-Muslimeen that the student did not initially obtain the opportunity because she wears a hijab.
Republic Bank president/managing director Nigel Baptiste yesterday confirmed the student would be contacted.
He said the matter was a “misunderstanding,” and the young woman in question would be provided with the opportunity for the two-week stint if she was still available.
Baptiste was contacted after the Jamaat’s Fuad Abu Bakr spoke about the matter.
Last Friday, there was word that a protest to highlight the young woman’s matter was to be held outside Republic’s Independence Square branch.
Abu Bakr said the protest had been in the works, but was not done last Friday since they did not obtain police permission.
Abu Bakr said the young woman had applied to take part in the company’s OJT programme and initially received approval. He said she informed the bank she would be wearing her hijab, but said she was told it was not allowed.
“It’s outdated our banking sector should have such a policy, if that’s what it is,” he added.
Abu Bakr noted an Equal Opportunities judgement last month where Giselle Glaude, of St Joseph, won a $150,000 award for discrimination on the basis of her religious beliefs after her employers dismissed her for wearing her hijab at work.
The matter with the bank pre-dated that judgement, he added. But Abu Bakr said he was aware of other cases, including one involving a Port-of-Spain store.
Contacted, Republic’s Baptiste said a misunderstanding had occurred regarding a two-week attachment that the bank annually participates in with a Belmont girls’ secondary school. Every year the bank facilitates five students for two-week stints to provide them with some working experience during the July/August holidays.
He explained, “Unfortunately, there was a mix-up this year when one of the young girls turned up in a hijab. The bank has no policy against the wearing of hijabs and a number of our staff have done so in the past and continue to do so.”
T&T Guardian was told that for reasons the bank “is still not quite clear about,” the girl was not allowed to participate in the two-week programme.
Baptiste, however, said, “Republic’s Human Resources department plans to reach out to her and the school to apologise and clear up the matter.
“We’re sure that subject to her availability, she will be provided with the opportunity for the two-week stint.
“Republic Bank has always and will always respect the multi-cultural, multi-ethnic and religious freedoms enjoyed by all citizens of T&T.”
Following Republic’s comments, Abu Bakr said the Jamaat will still look to take legal action even though the bank seemed to have recanted its position. But in the light of Baptiste’s comments, he said the group would meet and discuss if it would still go forward with this week’s proposed protest.
He said the comments from the bank had not been communicated to the young woman so far, since the last correspondence she received did not state that. He suggested the bank contact her on the issue.