Norman’s Cay manager dismisses worker claims

By ANNELIA NIXON

Tribune Business Reporter

anixon@tribunemedia.net

Executives with a Norman’s Cay-based resort developer have dismissed allegations that Bahamian workers have been unjustly terminated despite concerns that firings have not been halted.

Howard Thompson, the Government’s director of labour, said he had learnt more workers had been released despite promises to halt terminations until his department’s probe into the complaints was completed. This emerged as an island manager on Norman’s Cay development described allegations of Immigration violations and other infractions as “completely false”.

Voicing optimism that Mr Thompson and his team would “vindicate us and clear the situation, the manager’s comments came following a labour and Immigration visit to the island amid an investigation into claims of improperly documented foreign workers, housing and food concerns.

“What I can say is that that is completely false,” they said. “And one thing that I think everybody needs to realise is that we had the director of labour down here. We had the Immigration officials and everybody was here. They physically walked the entire island. They did their checks. And what I can say is that, respectfully, we should wait until the director releases his official statement.

“And I do believe that that would vindicate, because he would have walked these areas. Immigration would have stopped [and] asked persons for their work permits. They also would have spoken to the majority of the employees. So I am very confident that the official report from the inspectors that were here on the ground will set the record straight.

“The director was here on the ground along with Immigration officials. They walked the housing, they tested the food, they did a full inspection of persons that they came in contact with, and they were compliant. However, I am suggesting that we wait on the official report from the director of labour, who I am very confident would vindicate us and clear the situation.”

The manager, in response to former employees speaking out on what they consider unjust terminations of Bahamian, said: “Bahamians who were let go were the ones who were making the most noise.” They called for the reasons behind those terminations be examined.

“That narrative is completely false,” they added. “I would also say that the Bahamians who were let go were the ones who were making the most noise. I would say that the media outlets should do a background check on these particular employees to find out exactly what the reason was that the three who were mentioned in the papers were let go.

“I would not want to breach their confidentiality of the reason why, but you can trust it was definitely not for a foreigner, because those positions were not replaced.”

A former housing manager at the development, Mary Hanna, said she feels “victimised”, adding that she was “terminated without warning or explanation”. Ms Hanna linked her termination to her “stand against sub-standard living conditions”.

“I feel unjustly treated and victimised,” she said. “After speaking up about poor living conditions and supporting staff morale, I was asked not to attend managers’ regular morning briefings. Without any explanation as to why I should not attend, the only thing I can attribute this to is my stand against sub-standard living conditions.

“I also noticed other persons were then taking credit for my work, prompting me to involve upper management. Despite positive evaluations and sustaining an injury on the job, I was terminated without warning or explanation a week later, which I believe was deeply unfair, especially when I was told by human resources I will not receive my payout unless I give a ‘proper handover’. This was said to me one hour before my flight to return to Nassau and after I was already terminated.”

Another former employee told Tribune Business they were also terminated without explanation, connecting this to them speaking out over a number of issues. “I would say they were unjust - as I was never given a reason as to why I was terminated, no issues ever mentioned,” they said. “I do believe the central reason was [that] those who were terminated spoke up for better treatment of staff.

“As noted, I wrote an e-mail on mould, spoke about work-life balance, the unfair assessment of lieu days [and] understaffing.”

Mr Thompson told Tribune Business that he requested terminations on Norman’s Cay be halted until the ongoing investigation has been concluded. However, he became aware that two more employees were let go and was later informed of the intent to terminate more, who are all Bahamians.

“The department has received information with respect to the termination of a couple of employees since our visit, and more recently we received a communication to indicate that there may be some restructuring that’s about to happen,” Mr Thompson said.

“I have received information to that effect. I did make a specific request for no further terminations to be had until I have finished my investigation. Subsequent to that, two persons were terminated. Immediately upon hearing that I had a conversation with the island manager regarding that to express my disappointment in what had happened, and then several days later I would have received a further written communication indicating to me of possible restructuring that may lead to some redundancies.

“They tried to justify why they did what they did, but in any event, I still found that unacceptable. As the director of labour, I made a specific request, which I don’t think was unreasonable, to simply let me know during this investigation the intent to terminate anyone else,” Mr Thompson added.

“Not that you need any approval for me to do it, just that I’m able to speak with those persons who were terminated and at the very least find them a suitable or similar job somewhere else. And so, like I said, a couple of days later, they did formally write to me indicating a possible restructuring in which a number of persons will be made redundant, and I’m looking closely into that.

“I did receive a communication regarding a possible restructuring that may lead to some redundancies. I am in receipt of those names, all of which I can confirm are Bahamians, and I will take steps to find those persons suitable employment at another development somewhere else. I would hasten to highlight the fact that it doesn’t seem that this anticipated restructuring includes any foreign workers.”

Another anonymous source informed Tribune Business yesterday that they had just been let go “about an hour ago”, and they felt their termination was unfair. They said upon arriving in Norman’s Cay they were not provided with orientation or training, but were terminated on the basis of “my work ethic was not of housekeeping” and they “don’t fit in in the department.”

“I was working housekeeping here [on] Norman’s Cay and I was recently terminated about an hour ago,” they said. “[The] reason for my termination, to my understanding, is that my work ethic was not of housekeeping, that I don’t fit in in the department. I haven’t breached anything on my contract, so I don’t feel as if it was a valid reason for me to be terminated.

“If it was something that I didn’t do correctly, I felt a supervisor supposed to correct me on it. When I first came here, I did not do any orientation. I came here April 30. I was already working on my first day. My first date would have been May 1 working. They just throw me right in the field. They didn’t explain anything to me. They didn’t show me this how this supposed to be. Everything I had to learn off my own.

“And before I left, I was asked if I wish to sign the form of my termination, and I replied ‘no’, because I felt as if it was untrue and unfair,” they continued.

“When they call you to interview you, like I had an online interview, and when I was called, I was called saying that my interview was successful, and they did not even give me time to get prepared. The day before time for me to leave, to come over there, they send the flight and the time. And they didn’t tell me all I needed, as in for work clothes or anything like that.

“When I was selected to come, they didn’t explain to me about my pay, salary or anything like that. Like I said, there was no orientation, no training, any of that. They just put you straight out in field to do the work.”

Mr Thompson also confirmed with respect to the revocation of some work permits that he had “received information to that effect”. However, he has not had “ the opportunity to contact the director of immigration to verify”. Acting director of Immigration, Rudolph Ferguson, declined to comment adding that he “cannot speak to that” when contacted by Tribune Business.

Mr Thompson said the investigation is ongoing and he still intends to make visits to the island. He noted that the Department of Labour is still in the process of preparing its preliminary report.

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