Monday, October 5, 2009

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Old Bahama Bay to close for one month By CANDIA DAMES ~ Guardian News Editor ~ candia@nasguard.com: Following a move made by at least two other resorts in the country in recent times, the Ginn company is temporarily shuttering its Old Bahama Bay Resort in West Grand Bahama. According to company spokesman Ryan Julison, the resort will close September 8 and reopen October 9. "It's just a scheduled closing during our slowest time of the year to do some maintenance work," Julison said. "...Staff will obviously be scaled down significantly and if they have vacation time they'll be paid for that vacation time. If they do not have vacation time then they would not be paid." Several weeks ago, the company laid off just under 100 workers from the property, blaming the move on low occupancy levels. Julison said the resort currently employs 31 workers. Old Bahama Bay General Manager Jackie Carroll said, "Temporarily closing the resort, including the restaurant and gift shop, during this time period will ensure that the maintenance will not inconvenience any guests." Hotels in The Bahamas have reported persistently tough times all year. The Bahamas Hotel Association (BHA) recently said hotels in the country reported significant declines in business activity during the first six months of the year. More than three out of four hoteliers (77 percent) anticipate that revenue will be down for the remaining months of the year, according to the results of a survey conducted by the association. Several weeks ago, the Riu resort on Paradise Island and the Wyndham Resort on Cable Beach closed temporarily. The closures come during what is traditionally a slow period for the tourism industry. Julison said, "Our focus is providing the best experience for our guests and making sure we're staffed accordingly. Certainly, the hospitality industry has been hit from all sides. This recession has been deep and broad and it has affected everybody at all levels and price points in the hotel industry. We're certainly doing everything we can to be cost conscious and still be mindful of our employees and provide them with an excellent working atmosphere." Minister of Labour Dion Foulkes said while he had received no confirmation from Ginn, he expects that all the workers will be rehired once the property reopens next month. "There was no mention of staffing levels (in the notice received from Ginn)," Foulkes said. "The assumption in the ministry is that the employment level will remain the same after they reopen...We would wish no hotel to close, but we would prefer if they do close to make it as temporary as possible and to re-employ their staff complements." Julison stressed that the workers are not being laid off. He said their jobs will still be available when the Old Bahama Bay reopens. "Old Bahama Bay will be fully operational October 9 and optimistically looks forward to the new season," the company's statement said. Despite the temporary closure of the resort, the marina will remain open so boaters and yachtsmen will have full access and use of that facility, Ginn said. But Obie Wilchcombe, the member of parliament for West End and Bimini, said yesterday he is concerned about the property's temporary closure. "Whenever you see these decisions made it sends the signal that things are not good and there is no evidence that things are going to be better in another month," Wilchcombe said. Properties on Grand Bahama are among those in the country that have had to send employees home over the last year as a result of soft tourism performance. The Nassau Guardian recently revealed that Port Lucaya Resort & Yacht Club has decided to close altogether. Grand Bahama's unemployment rate stood at 14.6 percent in February 2009, up from 9 percent in May last year, the highest number recorded in 15 years, according to the Department of Statistics. In New Providence this week, Sandals Royal Bahamian Resort laid off 80 staff members. Friday, September 4, 2009