The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

NINETEEN terminated employees at Paradise Island’s troubled Club Land’Or resort will only receive due severance pay and other benefits when it is sold, a top labour official said yesterday.

John Pinder, the director of labour, told Tribune Business he had received a letter from the property’s general manager, Prince Ellis, which had informed staff that its dining amenities would be discontinued with effect from New Year’s Day.

“Yes, they have sent notice to that effect,” he confirmed. “The restaurant was still operational and has now been shut down. The place is closed. The closure has affected 19 persons who were still there. All the people were still technically working there, getting a day here and there, but these persons were employed in the dining area.”

That letter also revealed, according to Mr Pinder, that the employee redundancy package has been capped and will be paid in full along with all outstanding wages once Club Land’Or’s sale is finalised.

He told Tribune Business that he was nonetheless seeking a meeting with the property’s management. “I’m waiting to have a meeting with them because there are some things I need to verify,” said Mr Pinder.

In previous interviews with this newspaper, Mr Pinder had confirmed that employees at Club Land’Or claimed to be owed as much as 49 weeks pay.

The Paradise Island resort has been a troubled property for many years, with its difficulties making headlines several times. In 2012, it managed to head-off a Supreme Court application by creditors to place it into receivership.

Club Land’Or has also been actively marketed for sale, its price dropping from $43m to $38m during the two years it was formally “on the market”. Atlantis was said to be among previously interested purchasers but no deal has ever materialised to-date.

Dion Foulkes, Minister of Labour, last year confirmed he had launched a probe into claims by Club Land’Or staff that they were not being paid. This was in response to the 49 weeks’ pay outstanding allegations, with similar claims having been made by staff the year before.

Darrin Woods, the Bahamas Hotel, Catering and Allied Workers Union (BHCAWU) president, was out of the country when contacted by Tribune Business yesterday about Club Land’ Or. He said: “That’s the first I’m hearing that. I’m out of the country but I will get someone to look into that.”

Earlier this week, he confirmed to Tribune Business that he was seeking to meet with Club Land’Or management after receiving a letter - similar to that received by Mr Pinder - detailing redundancies among the resort’s restaurant employees.

“We got a letter the day after the holiday,” Mr Woods confirmed. “We’re supposed to go in and have a meeting to find out exactly what’s going on. The second vice-president will be dealing with that.

“It sounds as if the restaurant is closing, based on what they kind of referenced. They’re trying to find a buyer for the hotel; it’s been on the market for some time. Once we get together with them we’ll find out how many people will be affected. We don’t know exactly how many at the moment.”

Mr Woods said Club Land’Or’s letter was specific to the restaurant, adding that around 30 union members were employed at the the resort which borders the Atlantis marina and is immediately opposite the Paradise Island “on” bridge.

“There is some concern as it relates to that property,” he added. “It’s a small property, and has been challenged for quite some time. We’re trying to meet with them as early as this week. We just got the letter, so we’re trying to arrange that as quickly as possible.

“There’s never a good time for lay-offs, but particularly coming off the Christmas holiday and starting the New Year... At the end of the day we’re trying to resolve all the issues relating to that property once and for all. We’ll find out whether they’ve found a buyer and if this is just the first phase of a transition to that.

“We’ll watch it carefully and make sure, whatever happens, whoever is affected is dealt with fairly and gets what they are entitled to.”