The Tribune

By RIEL MAJOR

Tribune Staff Reporter

rmajor@tribunemedia.net

BAKER’S Bay Golf and Ocean Club will need between 1,000 and 1,500 construction workers to rebuild the resort, according to Director of Labour John Pinder.

In an interview with The Tribune, Mr Pinder said Baker’s Bay wants to rebuild the resort within the next two years.

“I met with them last week and I’m trying to set up some sort of registration. People can come and register who may be interested in assisting with the construction, those who worked at Baker’s Bay,” he noted.

He added: “I’m working with them and the manager is supposed to get back to me this week for us to determine if we are going to do a registry. We can do a registry here at the Department of Labour - persons can come and register. The only thing is they have to live in trailer houses, but they are going to do the best they can to make sure a doctor is on site and the necessary personnel is there to assist people.”

Last month, Mr Pinder said the government is in talks with Baker’s Bay Golf and Ocean Club to reduce the number of employees being let go.

“Abaco is in really bad shape… Baker’s Bay said that they may have to lay off as much as 300 persons and for the most part, they will make (their positions) redundant and give them severance pay… but we’re waiting to have a meeting to see if (Baker’s Bay) can decrease that number by employing more personnel,” Mr Pinder told The Tribune at the time.

The private multimillion-dollar club announced its closure last week, noting it could be between six to 15 months until it re-opens.

According to Mr Pinder, nearly 600 people are employed by the exclusive club.

However, in a memo released by Baker’s Bay last month, it noted that about 200 positions will be made available for current employees. As a result, many staff members have been told their positions at the club have been made redundant, forcing them to seek employment elsewhere.

Mr Pinder said: “We’re asking (Baker’s Bay management) that persons who work at Baker’s Bay, if they so desire, that they may have some other skills to assist Baker’s Bay for another year or 18 months until they’re ab

Mr Pinder told the Nassau Guardian last month, he expected the unemployment rate to increase to 12 percent following Hurricane Dorian.

When asked if he thought the unemployment rate will increase further given Baker’s Bay recent announcement, Mr Pinder responded that he didn’t think it will.

“(Baker’s Bay) said they’re going to keep as many people as they can and we are in talks with them to increase that number to help with the rebuilding of Baker’s Bay…the (government) has used quite a number of persons to rebuild Abaco in particular and to assist with the rebuilding of Freeport,” he said.

“I know that the labour force that is needed for Abaco, we may be able to find those skills for persons who are displaced in Abaco and try get them back to Abaco to rebuild Abaco and to get the economy jumpstarted again.”