C&W CUTS SIX

Published: Thursday May 29, 2008

TWO VICE-PRESIDENTS and four senior managers have been made redundant the local operation of Cable & Wireless (C&W).

Yesterday, the six senior staff at the British-owned telecommunications company were informed they would be leaving the company by weekend.

Less than a week ago, C&W publicly stated that jobs cuts were likely.

When the DAILY NATION tried yesterday evening to contact Donald Austin, president of C&W Barbados, he was in a meeting and could not
speak at the time.

It is expected however that Austin will soon give a detailed comment on the situation.

An official of C&W however confirmed to the DAILY NATION last night the cuts had indeed begun, but it was still unclear how many people
would be affected.

The official said the company had started "to examine the structure of its local business with a view of improving efficiency, and the restructuring process has impacted on six positions and these people have been notified.

"These take effect from June 1 and the company will make a more detailed statement at a later date," the official added.

Last Friday, Austin, along with Richard Dodd, chief executive officer of C&W's international Caribbean business, met with reporters during a Barbados-Jamaica TV link-up.

At that meeting it was announced that job cuts would be coming as the telecommunications company repositioned its business operations.

C&W plans to establish a pan-Caribbean business entity based on its existing operations in Barbados and Jamaica with a board of governors expected to be in place by September.

While the C&W operation in Barbados has been profitable, the same has not been true in Jamaica.

The C&W global operation recorded profits of US$341 million for the year ending March 31, down US$20 million on the previous year.


Source: Nation Newspapers
http://www.nationnews.com/story/340990635220576.php