By Fay Simmons

Tribune Business Reporter

jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

The $200m Rosewood Exuma developer yesterday blasted as “baseless assertions” the claims a rival resort has made over the number of work permits it is seeking as it pledged to create 500 “well-paying jobs” during the project’s construction and operational phases.

Yntegra Group, the Miami-based developer, rejected assertions by the neighbouring Turtlegrass Resort about its potential hiring of foreign contractors, clarifying that the two referenced in the project’s Heads of Agreement - including one from Singapore - have expertise not currently available in the Bahamas. It added that their involvement will allow Bahamians to receive technical training as part of the project’s apprenticeship commitments.  

The Rosewood Exuma developer explained that one contractor is a global expert in environmentally-friendly timber construction, while the other will oversee specialised installation work involving solar panels and other sustainable building techniques. 

“The issuance of work permits will be based on the unavailability of the relevant expertise and qualifications in the Bahamian workforce. Engaging these experts will also provide an opportunity for Bahamians to be trained for future work in this area, in keeping with the commitment in our Heads of Agreement to providing sustained, multi-disciplinary, on-the-job technical skills-training and apprenticeship programmes,” said Yntegra Group.

“Moreover, the use of environmentally-friendly timber aligns with Yntegra’s previously shared LEED certification initiative and demonstrates our commitment to the highest global standards for environmental practices in resort development. Turtlegrass cannot, on the one hand, claim that the Yntegra project is not environmentally sustainable, while on the other hand, criticise the project for taking the necessary steps to ensure that it is.”

Yntegra stressed that work permits for specialised personnel are standard in resort developments, adding that Turtlegrass’ own Heads of Agreement includes similar language allowing for work permits in cases where special skills are required. 

“Even the Turtlegrass Resort Heads of Agreement speaks to the Government’s agreement to ‘facilitate the grant of work permits for jobs requiring special skills and expertise’. Just like Turtlegrass, Yntegra is subject to maintaining a ratio of 80 percent Bahamians to 20 percent non-Bahamians through all phases of the development, as well as Bahamian immigration and labour laws,” said Yntegra Group.

“The policies and processes for obtaining work permits, including advertising available positions so that qualified Bahamians have an opportunity to apply, also remain the same. Given the facts, these assertions by Turtlegrass seem desperate and incoherent.”

Yntegra maintained it is working with a local contractor based in Exuma, Bahamas Industries Construction Company, that planned to hire nearly 150 Bahamians for the project. That, though, was halted due to legal action initiated by Turtlegrass. 

“This hiring was halted due to legal actions at the direction of Mr Coughlin [Turtlegrass principal]. Regrettably, especially as we head into the holiday season, he has shown no empathy for the adverse impact his actions are having on the local community. Instead, he has chosen to malign a Bahamian business owner celebrating a major hiring initiative and their efforts to employ Exumians,” said Yntegra Group/

Reaffirming its projections, Yntegra said the Rosewood Exuma project will create more than 500 “well-paying jobs” during construction and operation, and the company has already seen interest from 350 Bahamians and 40 Bahamian companies about employment and partnership opportunities. 

“At last count, more than 350 Bahamians and 40 Bahamian companies are currently interested in working with us. While we have taken this opportunity to strongly refute the accusations made by Turtlegrass, we refuse to continue to engage in a public feud that only serves an audience of one, all while broader opportunities are halted for so many Bahamians,” said Yntegra Group.

“We remain open to working directly with Turtlegrass so that our projects can co-exist for the benefit of the local community. The people of the Exuma Cays have already said that they want a compromise to be reached, and they are ready to move forward. We are listening to them.”

Mr Coughlin had accused Yntega Group of exaggerating its claims about job creation and local employment opportunities. 

In a statement this week, he criticised the project’s Heads of Agreement with the Government, which includes work permits for 100 non-Bahamian construction workers and two foreign contractors, questioning why so many positions have been reserved for outsiders.

“Why would a development claiming to support the people of Exuma negotiate such a huge and, in my opinion, totally unnecessary number of foreign work permits into their agreement with the Government? Do they think Exumians and other Bahamians are not capable of doing the work?” Mr Coughlin asked.

“Rosewood Exuma should be called on to explain and justify their unsubstantiated, and apparently unrealistic, claims about local jobs. They say that they are all about creating jobs for the local community while they have negotiated to employ 100 foreign workers as well as two foreign contractors to build their development. At the end of the day, actions speak louder than words.”