Loretta Butler-Turner in the House of Assembly.
By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
FNM Deputy Leader Loretta Butler-Turner is calling on the government to respond to the needs of the 190 Crystal Palace employees who were fired last Friday.
Mrs Butler-Turner, who is also the opposition’s shadow minister for labour, cited a Heads of Agreement signed between the government and Baha Mar during the previous Ingraham administration.
That agreement stipulated that staff of the Wyndham Nassau Resort would be redeployed to the new hotel rather than be made redundant.
“This is a very painful time for those who have lost their livelihoods, especially weeks before Christmas, as well as a difficult time for their families,” said Mrs Butler-Turner in a statement released over the weekend.
“Of note, when the former FNM administration renegotiated with Baha Mar on the opening of the resort, there was considerable care taken to ensure that Bahamian workers would not be made redundant in the process of the opening of the various hotels at the resort.
“On 7 November 2011, exactly three years to the day, in a communication tabling the Heads of Agreement between the government of the Bahamas and Baha Mar, former Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Hubert Ingraham specifically noted: ‘While the Wyndham Nassau Resort will be closed for renovation for 12 months following the opening of the last of Baha Mar’s new hotels, during this time, the existing Wyndham Nassau Resort staff would be redeployed to the new hotel. If 12 months prior to substantial completion of the development economic circumstances warrant, the Wyndham Nassau Resort will remain open.’
Noting that the former FNM government did not agree with making workers redundant in the lead-up to the opening of the various Baha Mar hotels, Mrs Butler-Turner said the issue of redundancies did not arise as part of a renegotiated agreement. She said emphasis was placed on the training of as many as 7000 employees who are expected to be hired at Baha Mar.
“Unfortunately, the PLP government lacks the moral authority to defend the workers and the union, and to make demands on Baha Mar given the fact that they are in breach of the obligations outlined in the Heads of Agreement to pay for the road works,” she said.
Last week, Robert “Sandy” Sands, Baha Mar’s senior vice president of external affairs and administration, justified the lay offs, saying they “paved the way” for thousands of Bahamians to be gained for future jobs at the resort.
He noted that Crystal Palace will close to paying guests and will be used primarily to train thousands of hotel, food and beverage, security and other personnel in advance of Baha Mar’s opening scheduled for late spring 2015.
One hundred Crystal Palace employees, he said, have “already been invited” to accept new positions at the Meliá Nassau Beach Hotel and Baha Mar. This is not the first time that Baha Mar made existing hotel workers redundant. In February 2013, the company carried out a similar exercise in which scores of workers were laid off.
Condemning the recent layoffs, Bahamas Hotel Catering and Allied Workers Union (BHCAWU) President Nicole Martin said it is time for the government to stop spanking foreign companies on the wrist and instead “take out the belts.”
She spoke to reporters last week Friday, moments after a more than two-hour long meeting with Prime Minister Perry Christie at his office about the mass firing.
She said neither the union nor the employees had been forewarned and added that it is possible that the Christie administration would take legal action against Baha Mar for breaching clauses laid out in a heads of agreement.
A meeting between the government and the union on the matter is expected to be held on Tuesday.
Comments
Well_mudda_take_sic 10 years ago
The Butler family got filthy rich selling to poor black Bahamians over-the-hill who could not shop in much lower cost white establishments for decades. You get your family to hire the 190 Bahamians laid-off by Baha Mar LBT! Our Government and Courts made sure your family got back its millions of dollars foolishly given to that Australian swindler named Turner. Our Government and Courts similarly took care of the likes of the Maynard-Gibson family when it came to CLICO, leaving all small Bahamian investors with life insurance and investment annuities issued by CLICO high and dry! Pull out your cheque book LBT....these poor Bahamians without a job will need at least a decent size turkey come Christmas time, and they sure won't get it from Minnis!
countryfirst 10 years ago
PGC is not going to do anything in this matter he is bought and paid for by the chinese.Lorretta doesnt care either she just trying to score political points,so sad we have no real leadership in our present trying times just thieves and robbers fighting for power.
ChaosObserver 10 years ago
Yeah, just help them find new jobs that don't require them to actually be good at what they do....try doing that lady! Baha Mar told these workers (and the others that were told they would have jobs there), last year to "shape up"...which apparently none did. Good for Baha Mar for sticking to their guns! More employers need to demand more from their workers here in Bahamas....maybe it will get through to people that you can't be "slack off's" anymore!
Clamshell 10 years ago
I have stayed at the Wyndham. It is a dump. The staff there specialized in ignoring customers or treating them like some annoying second cousins who were freeloading in their home for a weekend. Worst hotel service I have ever encountered. I've seen county jails that were friendlier. And now the government wants to support their lazy azzes? Good riddance, I say.
TalRussell 10 years ago
Yep, Loretta has somehow managed grow set big balls. Really, a funny thing seems to have happened on way to unseating her leader on November 21. Comrade Sister Loretta has completely forgotten that while she sat in Hubert's red cabinet, he reminded the public that; "he does not accept that the granting of 8150 Chinese labourers work permits to Baha Mar, in any way violates his government's demands that Atlantis must maintain a workforce ratio 70% Bahamalander's on their job sites? At no time did Atlantis under their red shirts Heads of Agreement, call for the construction of a complete Living Quarters Village to have housed 8160 Chinese labourers? Where is the shame of this red shirts leadership hopeful? I tell it as it actually went down in full view of a woman called Loretta, as she sat around that cabinet table.
duppyVAT 10 years ago
LBT will continue to speak for the downtrodden just like Papa Milo ........... keep up the good work. Do not be deterred by the haters .............. stay focused on the GOAL (2017)
SP 10 years ago
@ duppyvat...BLT is the absolute worse person imaginable to even mention the legacy of Sir Milo Butler in the same breath!
Milo Should be turning in his grave and trying to send all kind of messages about his disgraceful grand-daughter.
BLT is a Butler by blood. But this disgusting witch holds no respect for Bahamians what-so-ever!
The_Oracle 10 years ago
Is the assumption that the workers lived paycheck to paycheck? Did they put nothing aside for "a rainy day"? Realizing the concern some might have with not being fed for a day, where in this is the Government obligated to do squat? It is stated they were paid out properly, Bad ideas and ideology all stemming from this perverse need to remain enslaved.
Karen 10 years ago
I agree 100% with Clam....I stayed at both properties and the service was the worst I have ever had. I had towels with blood stain in my room, when I ask for help or ask a question I felt I was being a bother to the employees. It was disgusting. I say get rid of them and hire new people. Sometimes some people get too comfortable and set in their ways on the job.
licks2 10 years ago
She playing the type of politics that lame brain politicians does play. . .promises. . promises and gee..gee..gee..without finding good solutions for systemic problems!!! She is fulla horse doo doo ya hear. . .plenty huff and no puff!!
TalRussell 10 years ago
Could it be Comrade Sister Loretta playing the fool or just maybe we got it all wrong how she was in Papa Hubert's red cabinet? Has Loretta forgotten the harsh no notice firings at ZNS? I'm guessing has no recall about all the years on job workers fired by BTC? Has Loretta really forgotten all about those "Help Wanted" ads ran internationally, but not locally, by the new foreigner owners BTC to recruit foreigner workers? You know, she has not forgotten? Was she not in cabinet when Papa returned from China with 8150 Chinese work permits in he satchel?
duppyVAT 10 years ago
All of you who have STINK on LBT please state them or shut the hell up!!!!!!!!!!
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