Co-founder of Powerful Ladies of T&T (PLOTT) Gillian Wall said yesterday she is deeply disappointed that the female executive at Angostura Holdings Ltd who made allegations of sexual harassment against company chairman Dr Rolph Balgobin had been fired.
Meanwhile, in a brief statement late yesterday Senior Council Ramesh lawrence Maharah and attorney Ronnie Bissessar, acting on behalf of the dismissed executive said they intend to take appropriate legal action against Angostura and a top official of the company in due course
The release did not named Balgobin as the top official.
And head of watch dog group Fixin’ T&T Kirk Waithe has called for the victim who was dismissed on the grounds of poor performance on Wednesday to be immediately reinstated at the Laventille-based spirits producer.
Wall said T&T’s network of women will air their views on the issue in the coming days.
Yesterday, the firing was discussed at PLOTT’s executive meeting.
“As a woman and business leader who has been looking on at this matter I am deeply, deeply disappointed in the organisation’s handling of this matter especially as it is headed by a female. I have been very mindful of the untenable situation of the victim within this environment. The irony of this, is that, Angostura is an organisation with the most progressive whistleblower legislation which should have been properly handled,” Wall said.
When instances like these takes place, Walls said it continues to put our women at risk and silence victims which should never happen.
The dismissal, Wall said reflects on society’s continued ignorance and regards to the rights of women in T&T.
Next week, PLOTT will hold a public forum about the rights of women.
Wall, who has been in contact with the victim, who she refused to speak about, insisted that due process was not followed by Angostura and corporations must be held accountable for the policies they put in place to protect its workers.
When the allegations surfaced against Balgobin, Wall recalled Angostura appointed the Diana Mahabir-Wyatt Investigating Committee to probe the matter.
However, last September at the height of investigations Angostura brought in retired Judge Rolston Nelson, who later terminated the committee and submitted a report which led to the dismissal of allegations in October.
“The dismissal of Mahabir-Wyatt as chair of the committee was not properly explained,” Wall said, as she called for answers.
While Balgobin was a political appointee, Wall insisted that the matter was not political.
What needs to be addressed, Wall said was Angostura’s continued stance that Balgobin remains as chairman.
Corporations that wield power, she said do reputational damage, engage in bullying against victims and make their victims hesitant to speak out against sexual harassment in the workplace.
“We continue to engage in victim blaming and shaming and we do not address the inappropriate behaviours at all levels. This has got to stop.”
Waithe cautioned Angostura about maligning the character of the victim who he described as a hero in coming forward.
“Angostura has crossed the line by dismissing the executive. We are not going to take this lightly. We urge the country to say no to sexual harassment and Angostura’s products this season. This is more reason to boycott their brand.”
Making a renewed called for Balgobin to be removed while an independent and thorough investigation is undertaken, Waithe said Fixin’ T&T’s will send a file to every international distributor of the Angostura outlining what has been taking place at the company in the last few months.
CEO of the Employers’ Consultative Association Joycelyn Francois-Opadeyi said the ECA will continue to maintain that the right to terminate an employee for various reasons, including non-performance is a legitimate right of employers.
“Certainly, the ECA will continue to encourage employers to ensure that such dismissals are done within the remit of the principles of progressive discipline and natural justice to ensure fairness in the process and that an opportunity to be heard, and represented, is granted to the employee.”
Mahabir-Wyatt refused to comment on the firing.