By KHRISNA VIRGIL
Tribune Staff Reporter
kvirgil@tribunemedia.net
PRIME Minister Perry Christie shocked delegates and guests at a celebration of the Chinese New Year when, instead of bringing salutations from the government as expected, he used the opportunity to chastise Baha Mar for the state of its relations with government.
Mr Christie singled out the mega-resort development’s chief, Sarkis Ismirilian, who was not present at Saturday’s event at the Sheraton, and called for an “incredibly closer relationship”.
In attendance were Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China Hu Shan, other Chinese embassy officials, Baha Mar executives, and a number of stakeholders in the development who flew in for the occasion.
The Prime Minister’s remarks came after 140 workers were fired – they claim without notice – from the Wyndham Nassau Resort, one of Baha Mar’s properties.
His remarks to the packed room followed several speeches congratulating China on the occasion of its new year’s celebrations.
Commentators told The Tribune last night that claims of strained relations between the government and Baha Mar have been circulating for some time. However, they were critical of the way Mr Christie chose to handle the situation.
However, Baha Mar senior vice-president of external and governmental affairs Robert “Sandy” Sands denied there is any friction.
“I don’t know why the Prime Minister would make a comment like that. But in my opinion a pretty good working relationship exists,” Mr Sands said.
Meanwhile, the government isn’t alone is expressing concern over the firings at the Wyndham.
The opposition Free National Movement called on Baha Mar to ensure that the workers are given proper compensation.
Deputy leader and shadow labour minister Loretta Butler-Turner noted that the laws of the Bahamas outline what is required of Baha Mar.
She said: “At a minimum the government should have acted to ensure that dismissals were kept to an irreducible minimum. Then the government should have ensured that all workers received either full or proper notice or full and proper compensation in lieu of such notice of termination.
“We fully expect that Prime Minister Christie would demand that all outstanding benefits and salaries for the 140 workers be paid promptly.
“It is shameful that instead, he chose to use the Chinese New Year’s celebration to send indirect messages to Baha Mar’s principle, Mr Sarkis Izmirlian.”
Mrs Butler-Turner went on to criticise Labour Minister Shane Gibson for failing to advise Mr Christie of Baha Mar’s plans – despite Mr Gibson admitting that he knew of them in advance.
“Inexplicably he appears to have done nothing with the information. In our system of collective Cabinet responsibility, it is unconscionable to believe that he failed to advise the Prime Minister; still that appears to be what he and the Prime Minister would have us believe,” she said.
Mr Gibson and hotel officials are now in the process of confirming a meeting to discuss the terminations.
The discussions could take place before week’s end, Mr Sands confirmed.
Baha Mar has said the workers were let go as a part of a reorganising exercise.
Comments
242 11 years, 2 months ago
Confirmation that Christie writes his own speeches.
nationbuilder 11 years, 2 months ago
LOL!!!!!
John 11 years, 2 months ago
I always wonder when you travel to Florida- Miami, Orlando, Ft. Lauderdale, or New York, Panama even, and you find hotel workers maids, bartenders, housemen in their 40's, 50 and 60's even working, but here in the bahamas, seems like once you hit 40 in the hotel industry, the employer start to kick you out the front door. In fact, this is not only true for the hotels, but 40 is considered 'old' in the job market generally in this country. Even with the road development project, B.E.C , BTC , you see young men barely out of high school operating heavy or highly technical equipment. In other parts of the world you see much older workers managing these tasks and obviously they had to wrk up through the ranks to get to that 'senior' level. We also think that 65 is too old for Prime Minister, when presidents of many other countries do not even assume office until they are beyond 60. And in many cases their jobs are so much more taxing. In the hotel/tourism industry, true the goal may be to show a cadre of fresh, young faces, but if properly branded, tourism can appeal to many different market segments. It would be hypocritical, for example, to appeal to grammy and grandpa to come to the Bahamas on vacation but you dont want older folks working in the resorts. Bahamians must work with confidence to know that they can work until they retire with dignity, not that their most useful years will be raped from them then they will be sent out to pasture to graze.
jackflash 11 years, 2 months ago
This man engaged mouth before brain....
He is not in touch with his MPs at all.
Shane knew well before the layoffs and never told him.
Same thing at NIB, I bet you the Christie heard of everything in the newspapers, probably the Punch...
nationbuilder 11 years, 2 months ago
thats not so, mr. christie knew when shane knew, he was not in the dark about anything
MartGM 11 years, 2 months ago
That's right PM! Stick it to those Chinese!! Not like we need anything from them...we can do BAD all by ourselves!!!
Maybe next time, that misplaced anger can be directed at your sitting MP with responsibility for labour...just saying.
tonymontana 11 years, 2 months ago
The PM speaks out of both side of his donkey, the other day according to the papers , he knew nothing of the layoffs and was only notified that day , then today on love 97 news he said he knew about the layoffs and will deal with the matter personally once his current client now owner of Bah Mar returns to the Bahamas . this man is not to be trusted he speaks with both ass in gear . sorry about the cussin
john33xyz 11 years, 2 months ago
Did the FNM actually sell those properties to the Chinese? Does anybody know if we received any money and what happened to it? Did Mr. Ingraham just trade those hotels for a stadium and a couple of egg rolls ?
concernedcitizen 11 years, 2 months ago
ACTUALLY PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS SOLD THOSE HOTELS ,MR RUFFIN BEING PGC CLIENT AT THE TIME ,,PGC APPROVED THE SALE WHEN HE WAS PM FROM 2002 TO 2007,,
TimeForChange 11 years, 2 months ago
Here we go again! Christie back at it again putting his foot in his mouth as usual if he have a problem with Baha Mar take that up with them at the proper place this just goes to show he just cant do the job! I am sure he knew about those layoffs before hand as well as Gibson but once again he want to make the bahamian people think he doesnt know what is going on!
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