CONTAINER PORT REVERSES DECISION TO TERMINATE WORKERS, GOV’T SAYS
NASSAU, Bahamas — The Freeport Container Port (FCP) yesterday reversed a decision it made to lay off 20 employees after Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis intervened, the government said, The Nassau Guardian reported in an article on Friday, January 6, written by Assistant Editor Travis Cartwright-Carroll.
The announcement came shortly after Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Chairman Fred Mitchell, who is also the minister of foreign affairs, held a press conference in Freeport, Grand Bahama, lambasting the company for terminating the employees while so many Grand Bahamians are still recovering from Hurricane Dorian.
Mitchell said he, Davis, Minister for Grand Bahama Ginger Moxey and Minister of Labour Keith Bell held a phone call yesterday morning to discuss the layoffs.
He said the government received a letter from FCP on Wednesday advising that 20 employees will be terminated effective December 31, 2022. The letter was dated December 28, 2022, he said.
“This city seemed to be just catching a break and on upward trajectory and for these developments to happen just seems unfortunate … and shocking to me,” Mitchell said.
“The fact is that this community needs to grow and develop and it needs all of its commercial entities, all entities, private and public, to pull together for the success and upward movement of this community.
“It is really disappointing, these developments.”
He added, “There does not seem to be any reason for this; particularly since during the pandemic, shipping companies made a fortune. A fortune.
“You cannot tell me that because you have some reverses in recent times that make up for all of the profits that were made during the time in the pandemic.
“It comes off as unconscionable and certainly contrary to all the best efforts that everyone is seeking to make to try and have this community succeed.”
See complete article in The Nassau Guardian at https://thenassauguardian.com/pm-intervenes-in-freeport-layoffs/
