In one of his final acts as Minister of National Insurance, Brensil Rolle awarded a $175,000 contract to Director of the National Insurance Board (NIB) and FNM crony James Moss in March 2021.
The three-year contract is so airtight that if the Davis Administration wants to get rid of Moss, it has to pay him the balance of the contract. This means he will receive a total of $525,000 whether he stays on as NIB Director or not.
The Minnis Administration's aim was to ensure that its staunch supporters were straight whether the FNM was re-elected or thrown out of office. The former government found the money to pay its political cronies but refused to promote or pay increments to long-serving NIB employees, citing financial constraints.
This move highlights the hypocrisy of the Minnis-led government, which criticized the Christie Administration for awarding a three-year contract to former Bridge Authority General Manager Melissa Hall. The FNM sent Hall packing in February 2018 with three months pay and refused to honor the terms of her contract.
She sued the Bridge Authority for breach of contract but legal action was dismissed by a Supreme Court judge who said Hall's claim that she was entitled to three years notice was "delusional" and "a clear and rank abuse of power."
Does this mean James Moss is delusional if he tries to hold onto his position as NIB Director or will he walk away in the same fashion the FNM government expected Melissa Hall to?