Press Statement

Progressive Liberal Party

Northern Region

“FNM’S 52 Week Jobs Programme Poorly Devised”

The Progressive Liberal Party is perturbed at reports which indicate that once permanent employees at reputable Grand Bahama establishments, like the Container Port and the Grand Lucayan Resort, are being replaced by participants of the Government’s Job Training Programme. It has been brought to our attention that permanent employees in certain Departments at the Grand Lucaya, are being asked to train the Government Job trainees and then in an unacceptable measure, the permanent employees are being let go by the Resort.

What this amounts to is free labor for certain Businesses in Grand Bahama at the expense of tax payers, and at the expense of the job security of unsuspecting Bahamians. This is clearly a poorly thought out scheme by the Ingraham Administration, which has bungled every economic decision thus far in the face of the worst recession since the great depression, and the remnant of that recession. How does one justify the termination of qualified Bahamians reliant on full salaries from private entities, being replaced by temporary untrained workers, who in the main are FNM cronies and their family members?

In this particular scenario at the Grand Lucayan Hotel, we understand that employees of the department in question were sent home last year as part of the hotel’s downsizing and then brought back on specially negotiated three month contracts which stipulated less hours and less pay. As these contracts are set to expire, we are told, the employees who have been notified that their contracts will not be renewed, are now being asked to train the Government workers to fill their jobs. Could this also be the reason behind the terminations of the 70+ workers who were sent home from the Container Port? Just how much will this plot thicken?

Tempers are said to be rising at the struggling hotel property, where last Friday, a Bahamian was terminated as one of the Resort Managers. We have also been advised that a European has recently been brought in to fill the position of food and beverage director. We call on the Government to speedily look into the human resources affairs at certain Grand Bahama businesses, not only to address the poorly implemented Job Training Programme but also, this unusual occurrence in Grand Bahama of foreign nationals being given first priority for jobs.

We also call on the Government to be open and transparent, as it is our understanding that Rev. Lindy Russell, former FNM Member of Parliament for Eight Mile Rock, has been appointed to oversee the Job Training programme here in Grand Bahama. On the eve of an election we would hope that Rev. Russell has not been mandated, especially in these difficult times to either “look out” for cronies, or use the temporary jobs as an inducement for vulnerable Bahamians to support the Free National Movement.

The Progressive Liberal Party with its diverse team of experience and New Generational energy and ideas will implement a more fair and efficient job training programme. We will ensure that participants in our Career Academies which we will launch throughout The Bahamas, are trained to compete for 21^st Century Jobs in a rebounding Bahamian economy; equipping them for new opportunities as opposed to secretly training them to take existing jobs from worthy Bahamians.

Additionally, under a PLP government we will take immediate measures to put Grand Bahamians first. We will:

· Significantly raise work permit fees for jobs Bahamians are qualified to perform.

· Where work permits have been issued, we will work aggressively to identify Bahamians who can fill those job positions when these work permits expire.

· In instances where qualified Bahamians are not available, we will provide educational and training opportunities so Bahamians are qualified to fill those job positions going forward.

• All job vacancies will be advertised with trade unions and employment agencies before any work permit is issued for those job vacancies.

• We will work with operators like the Grand Bahama Ship Yard to reduce the number of non-nationals employed there.

• And to help facilitate the placement of Bahamians, we will expand the presence on Grand Bahama of the Bahamas Technical & Vocational Institute (BTVI).

We cannot stress it enough, the PLP Believes in Bahamians. We also believe that notwithstanding the challenges to be overcome in Grand Bahama, together we will restore the economy of the Island and the magic to the City of Freeport. We intend to begin this awesome task on day one of our return to office.