The Tribune

By YOURI KEMP

Tribune Business Reporter

ykemp@tribunemedia.net

A major Bahamian destination provider has denied that the jobs of 140 staff members are in jeopardy after a senior government official said he had been informed of "talk about separation packages".

Jessica Robertson, Blue Lagoon Island's spokesperson, told Tribune Business that “Blue Lagoon is not firing staff" after John Pinder, director of labour, suggested this might be one outcome of recent talks with some employees.

She added: “Understanding that Blue Lagoon Island has been closed to the public due to the global COVID-19 pandemic since mid-March, we have adjusted our scheduling as necessary.

“Our human resources team has worked tirelessly during this unprecedented situation to ensure that every member of our team has had access to the National Insurance benefits owed to them, as well as to the special Government subsidy.”

The "Government subsidy" refers to the 13-week extension to NIB's unemployment benefits scheme that is being financed by the Public Treasury, and not the social security scheme.

Ms Robertson added: "In addition to this assistance from government, for which we as a corporate entity are grateful, Blue Lagoon Island has also given staff grocery vouchers throughout the pandemic to further assist.

"We have also spent this time as a company training our staff on how to operate in this new environment. We brought in a physician to train in the correct and safe use of the PPE (personal protective equipment) that the company has provided, and we have also encouraged staff to participate in a number of online training programmes so that when we are able to open, we are ready to do so in a manner that is safe for our team and our guests.”

She spoke out after Mr Pinder said he had been informed Blue Lagoon was discussing cost-cutting measures with some workers. “I have been advised that there were some interviews with some staff there on Blue Lagoon trying to discuss with them the way forward, but I haven’t heard any results from it," the director of labour said.

"They are still trying to work around some level of less hours or less scheduling or separation packages. All of this is a conversation from a staff member that spoke to me. There was some talk of separation packages, but I don’t have any official recourse or any official notice that that was going to happen.”

Mr Pinder said Blue Lagoon management may have spoken to Senator Dion Foulkes, minister of labour, to inform the Government officially of any workforce-related measures were to be implemented. Mr Foulkes could not be reached for comment.