Bahamas News
01-25-05, - 11:45 AM
PM To Meet With Royal Oasis Workers
By Candia Dames
The Bahama Journal
Prime Minister Perry Christie plans to meet on Wednesday evening with representatives of displaced workers from the Royal Oasis Resort in Grand Bahama who are seeking relief from the owners of the property, which closed following Hurricane Frances last year.
Minister of Tourism Obie Wilchcombe addresses workers of the Royal Oasis Resort in Freeport yesterday. (BIS Photo photo)
The meeting is scheduled to take place in New Providence at which time the workers are expected to detail to the prime minister their specific concerns and hope to get assurances that those concerns are being addressed.
Minister of Tourism Obie Wilchcombe, meanwhile, met with the principals of the Driftwood group in Jupiter, Fla. over the weekend, but declined to give specifics on the outcome of the meeting.
Minister Wilchcombe called the meeting “good and progressive.”
“It left me feeling very optimistic about the future,” he said on Monday.
More than 1,200 workers lost their jobs when the resort closed, but had remained hopeful that the property would soon be re-opened as hurricane repairs were underway.
The situation became more uncertain and stressful for the workers after repairs were brought to an abrupt halt several weeks ago because of issues the group had with its insurance carrier.
The workers were made redundant without severance pay and continue to demand that they be paid what is owed them and have demanded that government authorities address the matter.
Minister Wilchcombe said on Monday that that severance pay would amount to $5 million to $6 million.
He reported in the House of Assembly last week that Driftwood owes various companies and vendors on Grand Bahama millions of dollars and is in “a bad situation.”
In a letter to the Minister last week, David Buddemeyer, president of Driftwood, also said that the group has over the past month paid all its indebtedness to its employees.
But Minister Wilchcombe told the Bahama Journal on Monday that Mr. Buddemeyer has accepted that he owes the employees severance pay and more than $4 million to their pension fund.
“What he said is they’ve been able to settle with the union the union dues. That is what they have done and the other matters are outstanding and the government has been working as quickly as we possibly can to resolve the issues that are still outstanding,” Minister Wilchcombe said.
The Minister also met with the leadership of the workers at the Office of the Prime Minister in Grand Bahama on Monday.
“The concerns are genuine concerns,” Minister Wilchcombe told the Bahama Journal following the meeting, “and we are addressing the concerns…I feel the government has been able to effectively [respond to those concerns] and I think in the fullness of time [this will be resolved.].”
Prime Minister Christie, who is scheduled to address the Chamber of Commerce in Grand Bahama on the weekend, is also expected to discuss the future of Grand Bahama’s tourism product, including the Royal Oasis Resort.
“I think the unprecedented announcements that will come from the prime minister will certainly send a very strong and clear message that we’ve not been taking the matter of Royal Oasis lightly nor have we been taking the economic future of Grand Bahama lightly,” Minister Wilchcombe said.
By Candia Dames
The Bahama Journal
Prime Minister Perry Christie plans to meet on Wednesday evening with representatives of displaced workers from the Royal Oasis Resort in Grand Bahama who are seeking relief from the owners of the property, which closed following Hurricane Frances last year.
Minister of Tourism Obie Wilchcombe addresses workers of the Royal Oasis Resort in Freeport yesterday. (BIS Photo photo)
The meeting is scheduled to take place in New Providence at which time the workers are expected to detail to the prime minister their specific concerns and hope to get assurances that those concerns are being addressed.
Minister of Tourism Obie Wilchcombe, meanwhile, met with the principals of the Driftwood group in Jupiter, Fla. over the weekend, but declined to give specifics on the outcome of the meeting.
Minister Wilchcombe called the meeting “good and progressive.”
“It left me feeling very optimistic about the future,” he said on Monday.
More than 1,200 workers lost their jobs when the resort closed, but had remained hopeful that the property would soon be re-opened as hurricane repairs were underway.
The situation became more uncertain and stressful for the workers after repairs were brought to an abrupt halt several weeks ago because of issues the group had with its insurance carrier.
The workers were made redundant without severance pay and continue to demand that they be paid what is owed them and have demanded that government authorities address the matter.
Minister Wilchcombe said on Monday that that severance pay would amount to $5 million to $6 million.
He reported in the House of Assembly last week that Driftwood owes various companies and vendors on Grand Bahama millions of dollars and is in “a bad situation.”
In a letter to the Minister last week, David Buddemeyer, president of Driftwood, also said that the group has over the past month paid all its indebtedness to its employees.
But Minister Wilchcombe told the Bahama Journal on Monday that Mr. Buddemeyer has accepted that he owes the employees severance pay and more than $4 million to their pension fund.
“What he said is they’ve been able to settle with the union the union dues. That is what they have done and the other matters are outstanding and the government has been working as quickly as we possibly can to resolve the issues that are still outstanding,” Minister Wilchcombe said.
The Minister also met with the leadership of the workers at the Office of the Prime Minister in Grand Bahama on Monday.
“The concerns are genuine concerns,” Minister Wilchcombe told the Bahama Journal following the meeting, “and we are addressing the concerns…I feel the government has been able to effectively [respond to those concerns] and I think in the fullness of time [this will be resolved.].”
Prime Minister Christie, who is scheduled to address the Chamber of Commerce in Grand Bahama on the weekend, is also expected to discuss the future of Grand Bahama’s tourism product, including the Royal Oasis Resort.
“I think the unprecedented announcements that will come from the prime minister will certainly send a very strong and clear message that we’ve not been taking the matter of Royal Oasis lightly nor have we been taking the economic future of Grand Bahama lightly,” Minister Wilchcombe said.