The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

I am an unrepentant capitalist and most of my other traits, if I may say so, are great. As such, however, I believe that labour and human resources play a vital role in the economic development and advancement of any society regardless of its political identification or call systems. Capital investment is needed to start and operate any business, whether for profit or non-profit. Investors expect to make a reasonable income from their investments and labour/workers also look forward to harmonious working conditions and market-based compensation in exchange for their work/services. This is a no brainer, in ordinary circumstances.

Many years ago, I studied Economics/Law at Walbrooke College over in the United Kingdom which for much of my stay over in that country was racked by intermittent illegal and wildcat strikes and withdrawal of labour. The then in/out Labour administrations were brought to their literal knees and the economy tanked for years. It took a no-nonsense political leader like the late Dame Margaret Thatcher, the first female Prime Minister of the IK, a staunch ‘conservative’ and proponent of market forces and trickle down economics to arrest and hold back serious dislocations and knee-jerk labour withdrawals.

While I am able to empathise with the legitimate claims and issues which organise labour/unions may have at any given time, it is a gross act of selfishness, tantamount, in my view, to economic treason by members of the Airport Workers Union. Their ‘leader’ is a long-time trade unionist. He and Mrs Belinda Wilson of The Bahamas Union of Teachers recently announced the founding of a new umbrella union to compete with the traditional one. That is all well and good. I would hope that this apparent militancy on the part of the Airport Workers Union is not a taste of what Messrs Ferguson & Company may be espousing going forward.

The national economy was literally locked down for almost two long debilitating years. Tens of thousands of ordinary Bahamians were laid off or furloughed for want of better expressions. Hundreds of businesses were obliged to close their doors, many on a permanent basis. Commercial and residential properties were foreclosed on by banks and other lending institutions. Thousands of Bahamians were compelled to sleep in abandoned buildings and derelict vehicles while others resorted to the public beaches.

It has only been since last year October that the economy has been showing vital signs of recovery. Dr Minnis’ experimentation with COVID and the lingering effects of Dorian will long be remembered, adversely, by countless generations of Bahamians, the living and the unborn. History, I submit, will not be too kind to him.

Data shows that our tourism sector is back to pre-2019 levels. All of the major hotels are up and running again. Thousands of hospitality workers are back on the job and earning fairly good salaries and wages. People are now able to service their financial obligations with less stress. Our churches and places of communal recreation are opened for business. Just when the nation, collectively, was beginning to see a glimmer of light at the end of the fabled tunnel, one of the smallest unions in the country and its ‘misguided’ leaders have struck at the LPIA out of the blue.

By this singular act of selfishness, the Airport Workers Union is threatening our national resurgence and placing our number one industry at grave risks. I note that an Injunction has been issues by the Supreme Court so I will not comment on the merits or otherwise of the same at this time. If I were Prime Minister, I would not allow any union to detract from the reopening of the economy. If there are long outstanding issues, as is alleged, let’s sit down and talk.

If the workers at the airport continue to agitate in what appears to be contrary to the provisions of the Industrial Relations Act, I would give them due motive and if they continue to act and play the thing with the big ears and the short tail, I would summarily dismiss them and hire new and eager employees, after all, the job market is reopening but there are still thousands of unemployed individuals seeking good well-paying jobs. The PLP may have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with several unions before the September, 2021 general elections, but it is to be noted that Kingsley Ferguson’s associated unions did not sign off on the same. Is he a nationalist or merely acting in a selfish manner?

ORTLAND H BODIE, Jr

Nassau,

July 20, 2022.