By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

EMPLOYEES at the Long Island Museum have not been paid for three months and may be out of a job “very soon”, according to Long Island MP Loretta Butler Turner.

In a statement, Mrs Butler Turner said the museum, which was initially private, is now supported by public funds that pay the salaries of three full time employees.

She said the employees were told by an official of the Antiquities Monuments & Museums Corporation (AMMC) to close the museum, without earlier warning, until further notice.

“The employees have not been paid for three months and do not know when they will be paid or when the museum will reopen,” Mrs Butler Turner said.

“With Long Island struggling economically, the non-payment of three employees who have families to support, and the closure of the museum, is yet another setback for the island’s economy.

“Three months is an extraordinarily long time for employees not to be paid. This has created a tremendous burden on the employees and their families,” she added.

Mrs Butler Turner said Cabinet ministers should forgo their salaries for three months to “appreciate what these families are going through.”

She said: “Having already abandoned Long Islanders, the PLP is making matters even worse. The museum is a prime spot visited by tourists and Bahamians visiting Long Island. The museum is also used for local events and by students. “The closure of the museum would be uncaring and short-sighted. I call on the government to immediately pay the employees and to keep the museum open.”

According to the AMMC’s website, the Long Island Museum is the principal historic heritage conservation and preservation agency on that island. It is dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of the history and culture of Long Island and the wider Bahamas for the visitors and future generations.