The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

THE REPRESENTATIVES for former City Markets employees yesterday again met with the Prime Minister in an effort to resolve their struggle to obtain due severance pay and benefits issues from their former employer.

Some two dozen ex-employees of the now-defunct food store chain protested outside the House of Assembly in Rawson Square, chanting: “We want our money now.”

One former employee, Melanie Bodie, told Tribune Business that the severance and benefits packages were “long overdue”. “We have rent, mortgages and loans to pay. Everyone has bills to pay and we need money. My severance and pension is owned to me. I got nothing at all,” she said.

“The point of this protest is to get our money. We have not received anything at all and it’s a disgrace. It’s a crying shame, something must be done and should be done.”

Whanslaw Turnquest, former chief inventory control officer at City Markets, and spokesman for the group, led the demonstration. He confirmed yesterday afternoon that he had met again with Mr Christie on the matter, but would not say much more other than there could be some development on Friday.

“I met with the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister and some of the other ministers of the Government. Right now, I can’t say much more on the matter,” said Mr Turnquest, who indicated at the time that he was en route to the group’s attorney’s office.

Mr Turnquest told this newspaper last week that City Markets employees had “outright” rejected a $1.4 million severance pay offer, and that their attorneys planned to challenge a debenture which effectively makes the Finlayson family-owned majority shareholder, Trans-Island Traders, the primary creditor. Mr Turnquest said the $1.4 million severance offer was made shortly before the Christmas holiday.