The Tribune

LIGHTHOUSE Point at the Grand Lucayan resort will reopen its doors today for the first time after one year since the COVID-19 pandemic began, with an initial staff complement of nearly 40 people.

Michael Scott, chairman of the hotel’s board, met the 37 new hotel staff on Wednesday ahead of the anticipated opening of the 197-room Lighthouse Pointe hotel.

The convention centre, two restaurants, and the golf course, and other related amenities, such as the Senses Spa, will be operational for guests.

This move will reboot the island’s tourism sector and its beleaguered economy that was struck by two crises and suffered significantly as a result of Hurricane Dorian and the coronavirus pandemic.

Mr Scott spoke briefly with the media on Grand Bahama, revealing that $1 million per month was being spent to maintain the hotel, which has been closed since last March.

“As chairman of board, the (special purpose) vehicle and the holding company for this hotel and its related and outlying amenities, I am pleased to state at last, after having threatened to do it before, we will be reopening our doors tomorrow, with a view to not allowing this hotel property to languish any further,” he said.

“I was the last person to want to shut it down when we got caught with the pandemic. But now that we are coming out of it, we are pleased to open and get economic activity started again in the Port Lucaya area which, you all know, is the nucleus of tourism in Grand Bahama island.”

According to Mr Scott, they have received some early bookings at the hotel.

“We are ready to go now. We are starting with 37 employees, and hopefully in the next couple of days that will grow to 50 to 60,” he stated.

“We got some early bookings; they are modest, but we expect once word gets out and we have done some aggressive marketing and promotions, that bookings will pick up.”

He noted that there have been requests and expression of interest in using the facilities, including the convention centre.

“We expect that in April we will be well on our way,” he said. “So, I am here for the purpose of chairing a board meeting, but also to meet our newly engaged staff, and in a very brief and informal way set the charge for what the board expects in terms of them taking on work at the hotel.

“I said to them, as a private sector person, my primary interest is to…hire the best that we can get and hire people that are experienced and competent in various sectors and components that make up the hotel industry.”

Mr Scott indicated that they are not interested in “legacy employees.” He said that they do not intend to enter into any union agreements during “the holding phase.”

“We have no interest in legacy employees, we are not interested in you if you come to look for a cushy job or come here to do nothing.

“I expect people to work the same way I work, which is to be motivated, confident, willing, and enthusiastic when we look at bringing people to the hotel.”

When asked about bringing on former staff, he said: “Well, no; we are doing it on a merit basis, on a one-on-one basis. I had my clashes with the former unions. I want to make this clear, we have no agreements with any of these unions, whether it is a management staff union or line staff. We have no agreements and we do not intend to enter into any agreements because ultimately the goal is to sell this hotel to either Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, through its investment entity, or some other qualified buyer if that does not work out, although I am sure it will, but in the event that it doesn’t we have a plan B, C and so forth.

“But when that time comes and that happy day arrives there will then be proper negotiations between whoever becomes the new owner or proprietors of the hotel and the relevant unions.”

He further said: “But there are no sacred cows, there are no persons with vested interest. Me personally, I just want to get the best, that’s my sole hiring criterion.”

Asked about how long the holding phase will go on, Mr Scott said it is hoped that within the next month or two months they expect the deal to conclude. This week, Minister of Tourism Dionisio D’Aguilar said the sale of the hotel was on the cusp of a conclusion.

In terms of safety amid the pandemic, Mr Scott said in addition to standard protocols, the hotel wants employees to get vaccinated.

“The other point I made to our new staff this morning is that we are now in a position to start vaccinating persons in earnest, and the charge I gave them is that everyone needs to get vaccinated.

“We have a country that is 80 percent dependent on tourism for the time being and tourism-related ventures. We cannot safely do that for ourselves and incoming guests wherever we are in the Bahamas unless we are vaccinated. It is important that everyone who is offered the vaccine gets vaccinated as soon possible. As soon as your turn comes, I‘ve said to them, please get vaccinated.

“We need to reach herd immunity,” he said, adding he was vaccinated a week ago.

Mr Scott also said the monthly bill to keep the hotel in good condition is about one million dollars.

“We are paying $1m a month just to keep this place in good operating condition and 40 percent of that, $400,000, is just to keep the lights on.”