The Tribune

THE Bahamas Hotel, Catering and Allied Workers Union held its elections last night, conforming with a court order from the Chief Justice.

Around 4,000 members were eligible to vote in the election, which will name the union’s new executive board. Incumbent Nicole Martin faced off against David Beckford and Tyrone Knowles.

The last election took place on April 27, 2010. Nicole Martin was declared president of the BHCAWU – but only after the results of two elections held in 2009 were overturned.

As the union holds elections every three years, Mr Beckford was a proponent of holding the election in 2012 and had insisted the three years should be measured from the 2009 election, even though that decision was overturned.

Union executives had disagreed with this view, insisting that the last certified election was held in 2010

Earlier this year, Chief Justice Sir Michael Barnett ordered the hotel union to hold elections no later than February 28 after finding the organisation had breached its constitution by not holding elections last May.

Ms Martin said at a press conference that the union will appeal that decision “in our effort to save the union money” and not because they oppose the order for new elections.

“We find now that if we do not appeal, the union will have significant costs to pay even though the action was not brought against the union,” she said.

The results of last night’s election were not in before The Tribune went to press last night.