The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

THE Minister of Labour says the Government is seeking to resolve “numerous complaints” from Club Land ‘Or staff about back pay owed to managers and line staff.

Dion Foulkes said his Ministry had met with the general manager and one of the owners of the Paradise Island-based property last week in a bid to resolve “this very serious outstanding issue”.

“The basic issue is that there is a significant amount of back pay owed to the line staff and managers at the hotel,” he added.

“I can assure the workers at Club Land ‘Or that we are doing everything in our power to get this matter resolved.”

Mr Foulkes said the Labour Department has also received complaints from workers on private islands in the Exuma Cays, at “three major resorts” in the Abacos, and on Harbour Island. He added that it was working to deal with all matters.

The Minister added that the Labour Department is also taking its employment exchange unit “to the people”, after finding that too often it receives work permit applications and there are no qualified Bahamians listed on the exchange as available for the post. Mr Foulkes, who was addressing the Senate on Friday, said: “We plan to take our employment exchange to various neighborhoods in Nassau and Grand Bahama to sign-up as many unemployed persons as we can. We are going on the blocks, on the basketball courts, and outside of popular business establishments like foods stores and wash houses. We are taking our Employment Exchange unit to the people.”

He continued: “Too often we have applications for work permits in a number of areas and we do not have qualified Bahamians on our list at the exchange to refer to the employers.” Mr Foulkes noted that among the jobs where work permits are often sought are housekeepers, gardeners, engineers, nurses, food and beverage managers and wealth managers.