Caribbean Times 52nd Issue - Wednesday 7th December 2016

2 c a r i b b e a n t i m e s . a g
Wednesday 7th December 2016
Opportunities for Barbudans
By Everton Barnes
Its official, the agreement
that will usher in a major
tourism development for
Barbuda has been signed between
the developers and the
government.
Prime Minister Gaston
Browne, who signed on behalf
of the government, said
he is happy to welcome the
main investor, John Paul De-
Joria to the country whose
Editor’s Note
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personal wealth (estimated at
US$3 billion) means that he
has the ability to develop the
project.
But the prime minister
also sees the project as opening
up many opportunities for
Barbudans. “I am confident
that this project will bring
significant benefits to the
people of Barbuda, and based
on the consultations held
with Barbudans, they voted
overwhelmingly in favour of
the development. Barbudans
have embraced this project
and I want to thank them for
their full cooperation,” he
stated.
Prime Minister, the Hon., Gaston
Browne.
Noting that there have
been difficulties in the past
in getting projects approved,
PM Browne noted that this
project had what he termed
‘smooth sailing’. “The people
of Barbuda are beginning
to recognize that the govern-
Main investor in the project,
John Paul DeJoria
ment is making every effort
to develop the island; an island
that will develop as a
‘green island’ in the Caribbecont’d
on pg 3
Minister of Tourism delivers
on back pay for SJDC workers
By Renio Abbott
Earlier this year, St. John’s Development
Corporation came under fire from
employees who had unresolved issues with
back pay dating back prior to 2014 under
the previous government.
After angry workers gathered in protest
outside of the Ministry of Tourism in September
seeking an audience with Minister
of Tourism, Honourable Asot Michael, who
acknowledged that the situation which had
been the subject of previous instances of industrial
action was too important to ignore.
Immediate attention was given by the
“Action Man” calling a meeting with management
of SJDC and representatives from
the union in a matter of minutes after personally
speaking to staff and considering
their grievances, to properly manage expectations
and come to a timely resolution.
Out of that meeting, it was promised
that the government would fulfil its obligation
of making a payment on the outstanding
retroactive pay to staff by November
30th, 2016
“I serve an organization (the Antigua
and Barbuda Labour Party) that places the
interest of the working class people of this
country at the forefront of its agenda and
it was a prerequisite for me as the Minister
responsible for the operations of the St.
John’s Development Corporation to ensure
that this matter which dates back prior to
2014 be resolved in the best interest of these
workers,” stated the Hon. Asot Michael.
Only 3 months later, the St. John’s Development
Corporation made good on that
obligation by making a payment of EC
$250,000 (two hundred and fifty thousand
dollars) on November 30th, 2016.
The management of the SJDC in the
meantime has had further dialogue with the
union and has made a commitment to pay
the net tranche of retroactive payments for
the periods of May 2014 to April 2015 by
February 2017.