The Tribune

The Minister of Labour met with several major businesses and trade union leaders last week during his first official visit to Grand Bahama.

Dion Foulkes said he held discussions with the Grand Bahama Port Authority, Freeport Container Port, Bahama Rock and Grand Bahama Shipyard. A meeting with Pineyard Steel was set for the weekend to discuss its training programme.

The Senator said he also planned to meet with the Bahamas General Workers Union, headed by Thomas Basden, which represents the workers at Bahama Rock; the Grand Bahama Port Authority Workers Union, headed by Mervin Wright; and Commonwealth and Hotel Services, headed by Michelle Dorsett.

"From a government point of view, the Prime Minister has mandated all ministers who have responsibility for sections, departments or businesses here in Grand Bahama to focus on Grand Bahama to ensure that the Cabinet and Cabinet Ministers do whatever is necessary to ensure that Grand Bahama is revitalised and that job opportunity in Grand Bahama is maximised," said Mr Foulkes.

"That is my mandate, that is Minister (Kwasi) Thompson's mandate, that is the mandate to the Cabinet. Grand Bahama is a primary focus of the Government, as the Prime Minister has said repeatedly, and we are very pleased with the meetings we've had so far."

Mr Foulkes said the business community seems to be "very encouraged and very excited about the future of Grand Bahama. There are a lot of discussions going on in terms of new businesses that I am not at liberty to announce. Minister Thompson and the Deputy Prime Minister (K. Peter Turnquest) will update the press on those developments, but we are very optimistic about the possibility of new employment in Grand Bahama."

Mr Foulkes acknowledged Grand Bahama's economic challenges, but said Bahama Rock has recently added has recently added nine workers to increase its staff by 10 per cent to 90 employees.

Mr Thompson: "I am glad and encouraged by some of the meetings we had, which discussed a number of labour issues, a number of environmental issues.

"What I am also encouraged by is the discussion of the potential expansion of some of these businesses, which will mean added employment... We will not rest until Grand Bahama has been fully revitalised."

Accompanying Mr Foulkes were: Morgan Graham, assistant director of labour; Ricardo Deveaux, first assistant secretary, Ministry of Labour; Tasha Hamilton, conciliation officer, Ministry of Labour; and Sarah Rahming, executive officer, Ministry of Labour.