Foreign Affairs Minister Addresses GB Workforce Challenges

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GRAND BAHAMA, BAHAMAS – Employment challenges affecting Grand Bahama continuing to make headlines in recent weeks.

Two groups, former employees of the Grand Lucayan Resort and merchants operating at Port Lucaya, both, sharing their financial challenges.

Since then, the prime minister and opposition leader have both weighed in on payment matters for the former employees.

Tonight, Foreign Affairs Minister, Fred Mitchell is adding his voice, saying, the prime minister plans to visit the island before the end of October.

“He’s going to convene a civil society meeting which will include the Grand Bahama Port Authority and it’s licensees and all of the stakeholders in this city on this island for a major announcement on what the plans are for the city of Freeport going forward.”

Mitchell sharing those details while at the Grand Bahama passport office on Friday.

He also addressed multiple pressing matters affecting the island, including severance payments for former Grand Lucayan Resort employees terminated back in February.

On Monday, several former employees publicly urged government to pay what they contend are outstanding severance payments.

Prime Minister Philip Davis responded, saying, the ongoing dispute does not concern non-payment, but rather a disagreement regarding the precise calculation.

Mitchell had this to say.

“One of the issues I understand is that record keeping is not what it should have been so people are claiming some losses and damage which actually can’t be qualified or rectified by the records”

Then there’s vendors operating at Port Lucaya, who are reportedly experiencing significant financial hardship. They say tourists to the island tend to stay toward East Grand Bahama, rather than visiting the marketplace.

And according to recent reports, worry has also intensified regarding the Port Lucaya Marina Redevelopment initiative, which was suspended in late July by the GBPA.

Mitchell says contractually, the developer is responsible for attracting guests to the marketplace.

“One of the things that I’ve said before is that the developer of Port Lucaya made certain promises with regard to what will happen with the marketing of that project and it appears to me that they have not fulfilled their part of the bargain with that project. And it appears that that might now be settled and that might be a reason they say for them not advancing.”