The Tribune

ON August 22, Moody’s credit rating agency downgraded the Bahamas’ credit worthiness to a notch above “junk status” with the warning that this country’s economic and fiscal fundamentals— especially its economic strength — had “materially decreased.”

However, there was a glimmer of hope for the Bahamas’ immediate prospects, said Moody’s. It expected this nation’s economic growth to “strengthen” between now and 2018, returning to levels close to its 1-1.5 per cent.”

However, two days later, obviously oblivious to the dire straights that our country is in, Obie Ferguson’s Trade Union Congress, joined with John Pinder’s National Congress of Trade Unions to announce that Bahamians can look forward to a repeat of the 1958 general strike, which virtually brought this country to its knees. “We will shut the country down,” they announced.

The union leaders were angered that Sandals had closed its hotel for major repairs making its 600 employees redundant.

We do not know what happened for the hotel to take such drastic action, but we understand that because of a union dispute, which is now before the courts for judicial review, some of the staff, obviously union sympathizers, were not giving the service that guests expected of a Sandals’ resort. We can only presume that the hotel closed for the much needed $4 million repairs with the intention of reemploying its most loyal staff when it reopened. This became apparent when shortly after closure, Sandals announced that it was looking to employ staff for its reopening and invited those made redundant to reapply on a day set aside for job interviews.

The union accused the hotel of “union busting”, while the hotel could possibly have labelled the unions’ actions as high-handed “bullying”. It would seem that the hotel had a case, especially as its dispute with Mr Ferguson’s union was still before the court for judicial review and settlement. However, it appeared that the union intended to force its recognition on Sandals as a bargaining agent for the hotel’s employees.

“We are prepared to do that (repeat the general 1958 strike). We are prepared to call all workers out and shut the country down until Parliament recognises that they work for us,” Mr John Pinder announced.

We have always been under the mistaken belief that unions existed to get their members employed, but, either oblivious to the Moody’s warning, or not understanding what it would mean if there were any disruptions to our present economy, the two union leaders seemed intent on wrecking the country. Not only would 600 Sandals staff be out of work, but many other Bahamians would be affected by such reckless behaviour. We hope today that Bahamians who have jobs are aware of the serious situation this country is in and appreciate that they are the ones who will suffer – not the union leaders — if there is a repeat of what happened in 1958 when the people in their thoughtless anger burned the post office that serviced over the hill and their ambulance.

Unions seem to have the idea that they have a right to inject themselves into a business — in which they have made no investment – and dictate the rules for union staff members, whether those staff members are up to the standard required by the owner or not.

Government wants to bring “emergency legislation” to Parliament to make it a criminal offence —“punishable by fine or imprisonment or both” — for employers who fail to notify the Labour Minister or the union about their intention to make 10 or more of their employee redundant.

We agree with Mr Robert Meyers of the newly formed Organisation for Responsible Government, who warned government not to “legislate the private sector out of business.” Mr Meyers recommended that they focus on making the economy more competitive instead of “going after business.”

“It’s another nail in the coffin that we know as the private sector in the Bahamas,” commented businessman Rick Lowe. And, of course, with the private sector crippled and Baha Mar, which was to be this country’s salvation, destroyed by shortsighted wrong decision making, Moody’s will soon be around to put the Bahamas out of business.

We recall over 50 years ago when The Tribune, in addition to the newspaper, had a small print shop. One day an employee from this department approached Sir Etienne, Tribune owner, with the idea of making more money. He proposed that he and Sir Etienne should split the profits of the work that he, the employee, produced for a salary. Sir Etienne explained to him that to do that he would have to contribute to half of the cost of the work he was printing. That meant such things as a contribution of the cost of the paper, the various coloured inks, maintenance of the press, the electrical cost to run the press, and the chemicals to clean it. In addition, of course, the employee’s own salary had to be added. When everything was added, subtracted and divided, the employee had changed his mind. He held his job until the day he died, content with his salary, realising that he had had the best of the bargain, having only contributed his labour for which he was justly paid. He didn’t want to take anything out of his own pocket to contribute to the cost of his labour.

However, with the unions, it seems that they want to sit around the board room table, having contributed nothing but disruption, and tell the owners what to do. We can see many businesses start to wind down should such nonsense be legislated.

As if that wasn’t bad enough on Saturday, September 10, Air traffic controllers shut the airport down for three hours causing disruptions and cancellations of flights for the rest of the day. The controllers had objected to going through the extra security measures ordered by the International Civil Aviation Authority that mandates controllers undergo extensive personal searches at security checkpoints.

Before the policy, controllers were only required to show their work identification card. If they failed to comply to these rules it would make the Lynden Pindling Airport a “vulnerable aerodrome” as it relates to security. Aviation and Transport Minister Glenys Hanna Martin also said government officials were told that it “would seriously and negatively impact the economy and reputation of the Bahamas” if not corrected. It could also close down the Bahamas.

But, never mind, Cuba is just next door ready and anxious to pick up the pieces.

It is now advertising the Hemingway Marina Wahoo shootout in Havana for October 26- 29.

And they are bending over backwards to get you there as easily as possible. All you have to do is register through e-mail and your visa will be awaiting your arrival.

Remember this tournament is what put our own Bimini on the map.

It’s time for Bahamians to wake up and become aware of the world around them.