BY FAY SIMMONS, ANNELIA NIXON and NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Reporters

Grand Lucayan employees did not receive due salary payments on Friday due to a hold-up with potential termination payouts and which workers will be retained by the resort’s potential new owners, Tribune Business was told.

An employee at Grand Bahama’ so-called ‘anchor property’, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that payments salary payments due on Friday were not received by workers. 

They said the resort had sent a communication to employees warning they may receive their salaries this week. When asked what has caused the delayed payments, the employee said few details were provided other than management citing “reasons out of their control”.

“The information is they will not be paid today,” they said. “Salaries will not be dispersed today. That may happen next [this] week. [It’s due to] reasons out of their control, or resort management control or finance control. That’s the way they put it.

“This isn’t information floating around. This is a hotel communication to all staff. This was for all employees at the resort.”

Tribune Business contacts, speaking on condition of anonymity, suggested the delayed salary payment may have resulted from a hold-up in negotiations between the Government, Lucayan Renewal Holdings, the special purpose vehicle (SPV) that owns the hotel on its behalf, and Concord Wilshire, the purchaser, over which staff the latter will retain and who is to receive redundancy pay.

“I think the numbers have been agreed but that was supposed to happen last Wednesday,” the source said. “They’re working feverishly to get that part done this week; the staff part. It’s just a short delay. They’re trying to get the employees paid and out. It’s a snafu, but people are making plans based on that money. It’s very disappointing.”

The Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), in a statement, said the Grand Lucayan workers would get paid today after Michael Pintard, the Opposition leader, again called on the Davis administration to release details of the Concord Wilshire deal while raising concerns over unpaid staff and vendors at the resort.

Speaking at a press conference outside the hotel on Saturday, Mr Pintard said employees and vendors are still waiting to be paid and accused the Davis administration of stonewalling efforts to get answers.

Mr Pintard said more than 121 days have passed since the Government signed a heads of agreement for the 56-acre beachfront resort, along with the adjacent 160-acre Reef Golf Course, with Ancient Waters Bahamas  - a Bahamian subsidiary of US-based Concord Wilshire Capital (CWC). He demanded full transparency regarding the $120m sale and said it remains unclear whether the funds from the transaction have been received. 

“We say this is unacceptable, and it does not represent the revitalization of Grand Bahama that the Government has promised, and they have failed to answer any number of questions we have asked. Why hasn’t the demolition started? Why is the hotel still taking bookings? Why are they not paying numerous vendors, including the security company that is there to protect this property? Is it correct that you have not yet paid them? Why are staff members today still waiting for their salaries?” asked Mr Pintard. 

He also questioned the status of the Grand Bahama International Airport redevelopment. He noted that the airport was originally expected to be completed by August 2025, yet a month after that deadline there has been no visible progress. 

“They promised a new domestic terminal and US pre-clearance by August 2025. We’re now in September, at no groundbreaking, no noticeable progress on the airport. So we ask: Where are the jobs promised, the progress, the completion of phase one of the airport? Where is the management company? Where are the designs that they promised for this magnificent airport? And how will you fund it?” asked Mr Pintard.

He warned that continued delays in upgrading the airport, and shifting timelines, could damage investor confidence as he urged the Government to be transparent. 

“The delays are costing us reputationally, and it is made worse when someone may be considering investing in the airport, but there have been so many false starts, so many adjustments in the timeline for completion of phase one or the commencement of serious work, that it would make the average business person, the average investor, sceptical about taking this government’s word,” said Mr Pintard.

“We’re concerned, and we challenge this government to stop the secrecy, come clean to the Bahamian people on where we are in general, but also in Grand Bahama as it relates to the hotel, as it relates to airport.”

In response, the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) said: “From all indications, Grand Lucayan resort employees are set to be paid this Monday, 15 September, 2025.”

“Since the last FNM administration, when Michael Pintard sat in Cabinet and purchased the resort with no plan, the PLP has worked continuously to keep as many Bahamians as possible employed at that property.  

“The PLP government remains committed to improving both the resort and the current state of the Grand Bahama International Airport.”

The party added that Grand Bahama’s economy has improved under the current administration and pledged to continue efforts to support residents. 

“Because of the sustained work of this PLP government, the Grand Bahama economy has taken a turn for the better. More and more residents are returning home, and employment numbers continue to rise,” said the PLP statement

“The PLP government recognises that more must be done and will not relent in its mission to improve the quality of life for all residents of Grand Bahama and for Bahamians across the nation.”

In a follow-up statement yesterday, Mr Pintard said the Government should not need pressure from the Opposition before addressing staff concerns. He again questioned the delay in demolition and the status of vendor payments. 

“The fact of the matter remains: Workers should never have had to wait this long to be paid, and families should not have to depend on the Opposition forcing the Government to speak before receiving basic respect,” said Mr Pintard

“And even then, the PLP’s statement was empty. It dodged the very questions Bahamians have been asking for months: Why hasn’t demolition started? Who is paying the vendors owed hundreds of thousands of dollars? Is it true the very security company protecting the property hasn’t been paid?”