EDITOR, The Tribune
I was relieved to hear Prime Minister Minnis say in his recent national address that his government was well on its way to resurrecting Grand Bahama’s economy with the reopening of the hotels, golf course, casino, etc.
The closure of the hotels, and for such a long time, totally destroyed Grand Bahamas’ economy and left it, not necessarily a failed state, but certainly a very badly crippled island.
Now that Grand Bahama looks as though it’s heading into a brighter future, I hope the union, which, in my opinion helped in its demise, will take note and, having learned a lesson, contribute to its rebuilding.
I have a habit of collecting newspaper articles and what has been happening in Freeport sent me searching for a Tribune editorial which I remember reading. It was written in November 2015.
It quotes then Prime Minister Perry Christie as saying that the opening of the newly refurbished Royal Oasis hotel in 2002 not only bode well for the hotel’s owners and employees, “but also brought to the adjacent International Bazaar store owners and vendors, as well as nearby Goombay Park vendors, the opportunity to grow their earnings significantly as the resort takes on a new life.”
However, the article observes: “The new hotel hadn’t a chance. It had industrial problems from the very beginning.” The hotel and the union were squabbling all through the hotel’s refurbishment and opening, almost up to the closure of the hotel. Then came two deadly hurricanes, within two weeks of each other and so badly damaged the hotel that it never opened again. The owners had no reason to have compassion on its squabbling employees. But what the employees did not understand was that the Bahamas Hotel, Catering and Allied Workers Union was the majority shareholder in the nearby Bazaar, and so when the hotel closed, the Bazaar’s customers ceased to exist. When that happened, the Bazaar also closed, leaving today’s derelict wasteland, and many shopkeepers broke.
Hopefully employees, having learned their lesson, will now grasp their second chance and cooperate with investors in making Freeport the success that it once was.
TIRED OF FOOLISHNESS
Freeport
Grand Bahama
March 1, 2019
Comments
birdiestrachan 5 years ago
It is not TRUE the Government is not well on its way , opening hotels and casinos it is just another LIE. Time will tell and who lives the longest will see the most.
Who knows foolishness:: doc may be a fairy and he has a magic wand.
DDK 5 years ago
The unions are anathema to a successful economy in this country. I seriously doubt they ever learn anything from any of the business demises they cause. Their leaders are the personification of greed and would probably make good shark food.
proudloudandfnm 5 years ago
I see absolutely no signs of an economic rebound here. What is this writer talking about? Freeport is without a doubt in a failed state. And it gets worse every day....
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