The Antigua & Barbuda Workers Union has written to Prime Minister the Hon. Gaston Browne to secure an audience to discuss unresolved matters involving former workers at the Jolly Beach Resort and Caribbean Airport Services (CAS).
In the correspondence to Prime Minister Browne, ABWU Deputy General Secretary, Bro. Chester Hughes, noted that the closure of the Jolly Beach Resort had affected over 500 families. Hughes further explained that “when the hotel closed, employees were owed millions of dollars in retroactive payments, vacation pay, severance, unpaid wages and retirement fund contributions which were deducted from salaries and withheld from the bank.”
Although this matter has been adjudicated on by the courts and an order issued for the payment of funds, to date, funds have not been forthcoming.
The correspondence calls on the Prime Minster to facilitate discussion with the ABWU as the government has articulated its interest in reactivating the property by securing private investors.
Concerning the former employees of Caribbean Airport Services, the correspondence notes that “over 150 employees were affected when flights stopped coming [due to the pandemic] and more so with issues surrounding LIAT 1974 Ltd.” LIAT 1974 Ltd., now in administration has 51% ownership in CAS.
Hughes explains in the correspondence that CAS management has repeatedly indicated that they “have been waiting on the Administrator of LIAT 1974 Ltd., to advise them of the verdict with regards the funds to pay employees outstanding severance.”
As the matter is so closely connected to LIAT 1974 Ltd, the Antigua & Barbuda Workers’ Union believes that the Prime Minister’s involvement is essential.
The Antigua & Barbuda Workers’ Union anticipates a favourable response from the office of the Prime Minister to its invitation to meet and achieve meaningful dialogue and clarity on these matters.
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In the past I have warned Jolly Beach Workers and recently i have warned former LIAT workers not to follow the ABWU at this time. They are only concerned about scoring political points. They want to embarrass and disrupt the ABLP agenda as much as possible. They also used the banking staff when the new Banking Act was being passed in parliament. They came up with all sorts of demands that were not on the table by any of the other unions in the Currency Union. So only Antigua was causing mischief. Was it not for the brilliance of Gaston Browne to seek a special carve out for Antigua by the then Central Bank Governor Dwight Venner. Everything they do, they do it in bad faith. And they don’t really have the workers interest at hart.
Give me a break. The deputy governor threatened to send us home with 10c on the dollar. It was the workers union that stood up for us. The language of the act was vague, and could have negatively affected severance as well as making the workers targets.
You seem to have your facts up sight down. It was the Gaston Browne Government that saved not only your severance but also the depositors’ funds. Cause nobody lost a dime. And it has cost the taxpayers over $300 million and is still counting. The ABWU didn’t do a thing about that. Had Gaston followed the script from the ECCB yes then many people would have been poor today and you may not even be paid severance. ECAB only bought the good assets. But it is the government that paid the severance, and they are still holding the bad assets in administration. Still going after bad loans on the book. Especially those from the former Directors. Whom, as far as I am concerned, should have been held accountable for the debacle they have created. It was pure bad management and gambling with people’s money that brought the bank down. I hope you were not part of management.
Keep on voting for the scumbag Gaston Browne and all his douche bag cohorts. Maybe you will be able to survive all year long with your turkey, ham and whatever bribes you accept to vote for that shit bag.
1st LIAT workers now this.
What about the “forged” signature Nigel Christian was investigating? Up to now police fraid to bring all dem high officials and politicians to face justice.
A WAY DE SIGNATURE FORGER GARNE? DID HE REPAY THOSE MONIES INTO THE TREASURY? WHY HE WAS NOT CHARGE WITH A CRIME OF FORGERY AND RECEIVING GOODS BY FALSIFYING OF DOCUMENTS AND BE ARRESTED.OH NO,WE DID NOT WANT TO NAME AND SHAME THE COMRADE. ANY ONE ELSE WOULD BE IN DEEP DOO-DOO UP TO THEIR KNEES WITH THE PO-PO.
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