The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

A trade union leader yesterday threatened that all Bahamian workers would “rise up” unless Cabbage Beach vendors were ensured beach access adjacent to the RIU Paradise Island property.

Obie Ferguson, the Trades Union Congress’s (TUC) president, promised that the umbrella union body would “do what we have to do” to unless the Cabbage Beach Association’s concerns were met.

Arguing that beach access was a “fundamental right” for Bahamians, Mr Ferguson said that there should be no restrictions against locals or tourists accessing Cabbage Beach.

His comments came after beach vendors blocked access to the Sir Sidney Poitier Bridge to Paradise Island early yesterday afternoon, in protest at the closure of the access easement adjacent to the RIU.

“We in the Trades Union Congress have a view that with all beaches, Bahamians must have access to the beach,” Mr Ferguson said.

“That’s our fundamental position. The Cabbage Beach Association is an affiliate of the TUC. If they don’t resolve it we will be calling on all Trades Union Congress affiliates, and the workers and the Bahamas in general, to rise up and take a position in the interest of the Bahamian people.

“If they don’t resolve it within a reasonable period of time, we will have to do that because that is so fundamental to our country and our people. Bahamians must have access to any beach in this country,” the TUC leader added.

“Bahamians with a license to operate on a beach must be free to operate and sell their wares on that beach as a right to being a citizen of this country. The tourists who access that beach should continue to have access as well as the taxi drivers. There should be no restrictions for Bahamians to access that beach, or anyone for that matter.

“I will be calling a meeting with my colleagues. I will be inviting my colleagues and all Bahamians, regardless of their political affiliation, to stand with the Cabbage Beach vendors  in ensuring that they have continued access to that beach.”    

In early January, Supreme Court justice Bernard Turner refused to extend an injunction that prevented the Atlantis resort from blocking the ‘right of way’ access to Cabbage Beach.

The beach’s vendors, though, from that point still had just over 50 days to access the beach via that easement, based on an agreement with the property’s new owner, Access Industries, the One & Only Ocean Club’s proprietor.

This was indicated in a letter from Obie Wilchcombe, minister of tourism, which was sent over the Christmas holidays.

    “He never communicated  that to the union. We became aware of it when we went to court, and the letter had to be disclosed” Mr Ferguson said.

“We will do what we have to do because we thought that the Minister would have resolved the matter. We thought so but he didn’t, and based on what occurred today we invite all affiliates and all workers, all political parties, to take a position in this matter.  We cannot allow this to happen.”

The ‘easement’ was sold to Access Industries by Atlantis owner, Brookfield Asset Management, as part of the $140 million deal that saw the former acquire the One & Only Ocean Club.