The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

AS Super Value moves ahead with its takeover of three former City Markets locations, employees of the former food retailer are still anxiously awaiting their severance packages, an executive telling Tribune Business yesterday: "The severance packages should be automatic under the laws of the Bahamas."

City Markets' former chief inventory control officer, Whanslaw Turnquest, told Tribune Business: "My phone is ringing off the hook every day with employees calling me wondering when they are going to get their money. It is ridiculous, and for this matter to be going on for so long shows that there is no rule of law in this country."

"The severance packages should be automatic under the laws of the Bahamas. That matter should not have to go to court. I don't see why the employees have to go through all of this to get their legal right. There are laws in this country to protect the working class. This is unacceptable.

"A judge already awarded $2 million to the management staff, and now we are working on the line staff, but now he [Mark Finlayson, City Markets' principal] is trying to fight the judge's ruling. This is becoming a very complex situation. They are back in court now."

Department of Labour executives confirmed to Tribune Business that "nothing had changed" with regards to the dispute over compensation for more than 300 former City Markets.

A dispute had arisen over the calculation of severance packages with Labour executives confirming that that the now-closed supermarket chain's majority owners, the Finlayson family, were basing payouts on reduced work weeks.

"The complainants are trying to meet with the minister but they have not been successful as yet; the situation remains the same," a Labour executive with knowledge of the matter said.