Both Sides of The Coin: The Story of The Central Bank of Barbados 1972-2017

103 that the agreement was “a one-off arrangement and parties have explicitly agreed that it shall NOT be generalised as a precedent”. Short as the dispute was, it shook the Bank to its foundation. Some managers had to perform operational tasks in order to keep their departments open and the management team met almost on a daily basis to assess the situation and plan strategies. There was tension between unionised and non-unionised staff and even on the picket line. After the industrial action there were several reconciliatory meetings between management and staff. The strike also resulted in a reassessment of the Bank's approach to human resource management and was a major reason for the establishment of the Human Resources Department. Origins of the Human Resources Department It was only in 1983 that a management position was created to focus solely on human resources. This position was at the level of a deputy head of department until 1998 when the Human Resources Department was established. 62 The new department reported directly to the governor, according to the Annual Report of 1998, based on the view that the human resources function had become too critical to be adequately discharged by the Secretariat with its wide range of responsibilities. In seeking to explain the role of the department, its Director Hensley Sobers (later Dr.) pointed out that the main focus of human resources management was on assisting the individual with personal growth and development. In order to make this a reality the department grappled with a number of challenges and showed a willingness to pursue and accept change. Dr. Hensley Sobers, first director of the Human Resources Department. Chapter 4: Maturity, Modernisation and Issues of Governance: 1987 and Beyond