Terminated workers from the Crystal Palace hotel wait outside the Office of the Prime Minister on Cable Beach last night.
By KHRISNA VIRGIL
Tribune Staff Reporter
kvirgil@tribunemedia.net
SOME 190 Bahamian workers are without a job just weeks before Christmas after they were terminated from the Crystal Palace hotel by Baha Mar yesterday.
In reaction to this news, Bahamas Hotel Catering and Allied Workers Union (BHCAWU) President Nicole Martin said it is time for the government to stop spanking foreign companies on the wrist and instead “take out the belts”.
Ms Martin spoke to reporters moments after a more than two-hour long meeting with Prime Minister Perry Christie at his office about the mass firing. She said neither the union nor the employees had been forewarned.
She said it was possible that the Christie administration would take legal action against Baha Mar for breaching clauses laid out in a heads of agreement.
“We are asking the government to do what is necessary to cause this employer to fall within the terms of (the heads of agreement),” Ms Martin said.
“We know that the employer is getting everything or seems to be getting everything that this agreement calls for. But in the case of us, the Bahamian people and the workers here we are not getting (what we should).
“Our attorney tried to get an emergency injunction, (but) that failed because we are not parties to that agreement. So if there is to be any legal movement it has to come from the government. The prime minister has assured us that his people are going to do everything that they need to do within the next few hours to make contact. They see the value in the union’s position and they are going to do what they need to do to have the company come to the table and to have some discussions.
“I think that it is time to stop spanking these fellas on the wrist and saying you are a bad boy. It’s time to take out the belt. It’s time to really start putting a good bruising on them because they have no respect for this country.”
When The Big T visited the hotel at Cable Beach, employees were leaving the building, several of them holding yellow envelopes containing severance packages and redundancy letters.
A woman, who did not want her name to be used, said she had expected to be fired a long time ago. She has been with the hotel for nearly three decades, and while she received a severance package of $11,000, she said she did not expect that workers would be dealt with in this way.
She told reporters that most employees went to their respective work stations as usual and were surprised to learn of their dismissal by an executive who was carrying a box with yellow envelopes. That representative informed them that they were being terminated on the spot.
According to her, there was no explanation or staff general meeting to inform workers of their fate.
Robert “Sandy” Sands, Baha Mar’s senior vice president of External Affairs and Administration, told The Big T yesterday that the lay offs “paved the way” for thousands of Bahamians to be trained for future jobs at the resort.
He said Crystal Palace will close to paying guests and will be used primarily to train thousands of hotel, food and beverage, security and other personnel in advance of Baha Mar’s opening scheduled for late Spring 2015.
One hundred Crystal Palace employees, he said, have “already been invited” to accept new positions at the Meliá Nassau Beach Hotel and Baha Mar.
This is not the first time that Baha Mar made existing hotel workers redundant.
In February of 2013, the company carried out a similar exercise in which scores of workers were laid off.
Labour Minister Shane Gibson said last night that the government was not pleased with the situation. He said their sentiments were communicated to Baha Mar representatives.
Another meeting with the union and the government is expected to be held on Tuesday.
Comments
MaLambee 9 years, 5 months ago
Seriously, what did you all expect..ie the government. Chinese have taken over the world. Trust me in a few years a true true bahamian as we know it, would be extinct. The employees and future employees at Bahama will be 90% chinese. They will find a way to bring in cooks, servers and cleaners. What will happen to Bahamians should be the question the politicians should ask before selfishly stuffing their pocket. Once you give the country away....its gone
BoopaDoop 9 years, 5 months ago
I disagree. Bahamians will be employed as long as they have the skills and right attitude. Hotels don't have space for sour faces who hold up the walls while glued to their cell phones.
ThisIsOurs 9 years, 5 months ago
He may have a point, if the Chinese get sufficient leverage, and they appear to be on the warpath to get it, they will be able to demand anything, think its not possible? Look at the illegal gaming operatives, they got a whole government to turn in their favour. They got the Central bank to look the other way and allow them to deposit money into, not just any bank, the Bank of the Bahamas. Give enough people money and no one will be able to speak against you, not even the Queens representative.
BoopaDoop 9 years, 5 months ago
Baha Mar is simply cleaning up shop. Both technical and human resources need to be updated from time to time. Companies frequently dismiss employees who are not able to offer the skills needed for the changing environment.
TalRussell 9 years, 5 months ago
by TalRussell
EnoughIsEnough 9 years, 5 months ago
i agree with BoopaDoop completely - change has to happen, the work force needs to be updated in many businesses here and thousands of Bahamians will be given jobs when Baha mar opens in the Spring. it's ignorant and it holds our country back from progress for these unions to jump in every time and for bahamians in general to keep making these narrow minded comments about foreignors. get over yourselves and let's try to move this country forward in a positive and productive way.
ThisIsOurs 9 years, 5 months ago
190 seems like a lot of people. If all of them had poor performance ratings so be it. 190 is alot of people
EnoughIsEnough 9 years, 5 months ago
and while you complain about the 190 that have been let go, why not celebrate the 800 graduates of the Leadership Development Institute who will be trained at the Crystal Palace and the 600 pre-selected high school and college students who will also be trained. We need to make room for the young kids coming out of school so that we don't continue to perpetuate this crime issue. Yes it's sad that this happens to these families and especially before christmas but they can re-apply to work within baha mar when it opens.
ThisIsOurs 9 years, 5 months ago
How do you foster employee loyalty though? If everyone gets the impression that they're making room for cheaper labour
bandit 9 years, 5 months ago
Ask that question to the families of the 190 employees who depended on them for their support. Its all good about the 600 but please don't discount the affect this will have on those who are loosing their jobs. Out of the 190 it maybe another 3 or more people who depend on them. Do the math????
TalRussell 9 years, 5 months ago
Comrade I stand to be corrected but didn't the media not long ago report graduates of this same Baha Mar Leadership Development Institute were also sent home, without the jobs they were promised? Baha Maha sounds more like numbers man's who fired workers to make room for new workers. You're not suppose to 'fire to hire'. .... rule 101 good labour practices. For the record how many Chinese workers were fired at same time?
TalRussell 9 years, 5 months ago
I seem recall that out of some 3,500 applicants there were only 150 graduates of Baha Mar’s Leadership Development Institute that ended up with job jobs at Bar Mar, after completing four months of training. Were any of the 150 among the most recent 190 paychecks sent home? What about the other 3350 who were never offered paychecks, has Baha Mar ever rehired any of them, and if so how many of the remaining 3350. Or, will they put another 3500 Bahamalander's through their four months LDI, only to hire 150? Before work permits are granted to foreigners will dept of immigration demand the foreigners must also undergo their same LDI four months of training and at end of four months can Baha Mar really expect be granted 100% of work permit applicants? Are the foreigners that smarter?
ohdrap4 9 years, 5 months ago
i believe on average yes chinese very smart and much better education system than d average
Comunists do well in capitalism
ThisIsOurs 9 years, 5 months ago
You are correct, our education system is poor, it is the government's responsibility to ensure pathways for educational advancement exists for their people, it is also the government's responsibility to ensure that any business they invite into our country operates in the best interest of the native people. If these people had abysmal performance reviews and absolutely no prospects of being successfully retrained more power to Bahamar, Bahamians need to pull up their socks. But pushing working age persons off the cliff for younger just because they are younger seems like the road to dystopia.look at communist countries for example.
carmichaelrdgal 9 years, 5 months ago
Agree with you, "making room for cheaper labour". again most employee will not be Bahamian. Please open yall eyes and see what is going on in this country. That lady got $11,000 & worked almost 30yrs on the job? So unfair. She probably can't pay off her debts with that. "Jah children wake up"
rony 9 years, 5 months ago
Baha mar is up to no good, they layed off those people because they are working those youngsters for bottom dollars! I heard they are paying those LDI group after they have passed and got the job only $265 pm! This is wrong and crazy are young people are being treated poorly and the government do nothing.9 to 5 and only $265 a month smt! Slavery
TalRussell 9 years, 5 months ago
Hubert was right when he said that Baha Mar was too damn big to go ahead with at one time for our little Bahamaland. Comrades the masses said nothing after when former PM Hubert never did do to the Chinese what he had threaten them with. Wasn't it at the Pindling airport as Hubert was departing for China how said he was flying off to urgently meet with the Chinese officials to read them the Riot Act, that that Baha Mar was not going to employ more Chinese Nationals over his own nationals. Little did anyone expect Hubert to return, after signing Eight Thousand And One Hundred Work Permits, all with the names of Chinese LABOURERS written on every damn single one them work permits. He said they agreed to invest some more millions for his Prime Ministerial signature? And, my Dear Comrades as it began, so is it now taking shape? Nope, this is not some Comrade Tal gone make up stuff. Tis Baha Mar reality. The Red Regime's Cabinet even agreed to relocate the offices of the PM, after the lands were sold to make way for Baha Mar? Has any other nation in history of the entire world, ever sold to foreigners the properties of the PM's offices? Yet, the red party still through a Minnis or Loretta in but ONLY a few days think they can by some fluke under either one of these two reds, recapture the power of Bahamaland's government? Oh really?
PastorTroy 9 years, 5 months ago
Respectively, While I sympathize with those who may have permanantly lost their employment, as a College Educated Bahamian living abroad, I understand. Tourism is a competitive industry, we (Bahamas) need "the best of the best" to be successful. I have applied for jobs before and those who do the interview or hiring seem to have some anamosity against us during the interview, if you are hired, many times, you are more qualified than your "superiors". and they know this and do not like it. It's all part of the corruption of "Who ya know, and not WHAT you know". Coming home and being paid lesser than working abroad sometimes can be understandable, however, after spending thousands of dollars in tuition and burning the midnight oil, being pressured to "dumb down" yourself simply because of the status quo is unacceptable! Any Bahamian employee who go to work for 5, 10, 30 or 40 years just to collect a paycheck and not educate themselves to current times NEED to feel at uneasy, This include those in Government too!! We are part of a GLOBALIZED ECONOMY, Many of these DINO Politicians who make deals with these YOUNG, IVY LEAGUE FOREIGN GRADUATES are getting "swing". AS A NATION WE HAVE NOT BEGIN TO SEE THE TRUE UNDERBELLY OF TODAY'S CAPITALISM IN THIS GLOBALIZED ECONOMY. The Future Of The Bahamas Is ALL Young People, Not Just Those Of The Corrupt Politicians and Their Cronies. Our young people need to know more than just "The Books Of The Bible" This is great, but what about countries (Like China) who DO NOT CARE about your religion? The only 'religion' they see is MONEY & POWER! And yes, like them or not, YOU WILL WORK FOR THEM (CHINA'S MONEY) TOO! I predict, in 20 years if nothing changes (Educating All Bahamians), China will own more than 50% of our economy. #StartEducatingOurYouthsNotIndoctrinatingOurYouths
ThisIsOurs 9 years, 5 months ago
Hmmm...been on a number of interviews over the years and never got the impression someone was hostile towards me because of my degrees or certifications...in any event, as soon as you get in the door a degree goes out the door. The job becomes the learning experience. That is why people without a college education can still excel on the job. Do our politicians have a vested interest in keeping people poorly educated? Sure. Look at Fox News.
Well_mudda_take_sic 9 years, 5 months ago
You only have to look at what has happened to African countries where the Chinese have made strategic investments over the last 10-15 years to obtain natural resources and employment for their own nationals abroad. The indigenous black populations of these countries were all too easily sold out by their corrupt politicians, and the Chinese know the Bahamas will be no different. Our new found yellow friends are not here in the Bahamas for sun, sand and sea. They are here to establish a foothold in a country in the immediate back yard of the USA (with one of the deepest ocean trenches in the world) that they will be able to use down the road to protect (with military might if necessary) their ever increasing strategic investments in the U.S. economy. The Chinese are totally focussed on building both their economic and military might around the world, but in particular in the USA. All the while they are gloating at Uncle Sam's diminishing global influence both economically and militarily. The Chinese long ago spotted the one great weakness in America's model of democracy and capitalism: The U.S. government can be bought and paid for by American and foreign corporations whose undying loyalty to profits above all else, leaves no room for patriotism or any other form of national loyalty. Add to this the fact that the U.S. can now be made (influenced) to engage in very costly silly wars and other global skirmishes that fall outside of its national security interests, and you now have the perfect recipe for the economic implosion of the U.S. which will allow the Chinese to acquire on the cheap key assets and a growing sphere of influence in the U.S. Yes, Uncle Sam does indeed have a lot more to worry about in the long run when it comes to our local politicians selling the Bahamas to the Chinese! Americans are going to pay a dear price for the failure of successive U.S. administrations to use the influence and might of U.S. foreign policy and aid initiatives to stamp out political corruption and crony capitalism in the Bahamas. We too as Bahamians will pay an equally dear price for all failures in U.S. domestic and foreign policy when it comes to Mr. Christie's new found Chinese friends.
Reality_Check 9 years, 5 months ago
It would be most interesting to learn from our Minister of Immigration how many Chinese nationals currently hold work permits, permanent residency permits and Bahamian citizenship, having received their status from our Ministry of Immigration within the last 6 years.
TalRussell 9 years, 5 months ago
I hope our Comrades working or living in the Bahamaland's, don't believe what they heard or may have read that was uttered on a certain talk station, about how Bahamalander's are foreigner intolerant. You could be Chinese, Haitian, Cuban, Jamaican, Columbia, British or American or from anywhere. But don't be expecting a warm welcome, if you are amongst the 200,000 in Bahamaland as illegal's.. Go home you are not welcomed.
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