The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

EMPLOYEES at Club Land'Or claim they are owed as much as 49 weeks pay according to Labour Director John Pinder, with the resort's attorney acknowledging the property is having "challenges".

Mr Pinder told Tribune Business: "Some of the staff have complained to the Department of Labour that they are owed as much as 49 weeks in salary and Club Land'Or has not been able to pay. On Friday, we got a call that some attorneys wanted to meet with them one on one to explain the position in which Club Land'Or finds itself in at this time," said Mr Pinder.

"Since they weren't getting any salary no union dues were being deducted but technically they are still under the Bahamas Hotel Catering and Allied Workers Union (BHCAWU). I had advised them to reach out to the union."

Darren Woods, president of the Bahamas Hotel Catering and Allied Workers Union (BHCAWU) told Tribune Business that he would investigate the situation today as he had just recently returned to the country. The hotel union filed a trade dispute on behalf of Club Land'Or employees against the Paradise Island property back in 2016. At that time the property was said be to in "serious financial straits".

The small Paradise Island resort has long been regarded as a troubled property and in 2012 managed to head-off a Supreme Court application by creditors to place it into receivership.

During the two years that Club Land'Or was being actively marketed for sale, its price dropped from $43m to $38m, with Atlantis said to be among previously interested purchasers. No deal ever materialised, however.

In a previous interview with this newspaper, the resort's general manager, Prince Ellis - who was said to be travelling out of the country when sought for comment by Tribune Business - stated the resort's owners were seeking a "unique sale" and have no intention to sell unless the buyers meet very specific criteria.

Last October, Labour Minister Dion Foulkes indicated that government was seeking to resolve numerous complaints over back-pay.

The resort is said to have between 40 to 60 staff members, estimates which could not be confirmed as current by its attorney Bernard Ferguson. He confirmed that he had met with staff to outline the resort's challenges.

"We updated the staff on what the situation is and some of the challenges. Club Land 'Or is having challenges at the moment. We are just trying to keep the employees up to. It is common knowledge that the entity is in the process of being sold. The company is trying to do its best to keep everyone happy."