By Erasmus Williams
Charlestown, Nevis, August 18, 2019 – Pressure from the opposition Nevis Reformation Party (NRP) is expected to pay dividends for the displaced employees of Four Seasons Resort.
“Relentless pressure from NRP has forced the Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM) to double the EC$500 monthly payment for the Four Seasons Resort workers to EC$1,000 monthly,” Carlisle Powell, former NRP senator said in a posting on his Facebook page on Sunday.
The veteran politician informed the Four Seasons employees and Nevisians “to listen for the announcement from our part-time double salary Premier.”
Following the announcement that Nevis’ Four Seasons employees will be displaced when the resort closes for renovation from June 1, several employees were of the view that Premier and Minister of Tourism, Hon Mark Brantley, is not doing enough to provide “governmental assistance” during that period.
“It is going to be a financial burden. We feel Mr Brantley needs to do more. He has been boasting about how well Nevis is doing. I just feel that for him to depend on the private sector alone to employ us temporarily is just not enough, It is just not enough,” said Myra, not her real name and who requested to remain anonymous.
Jaince, also not her real name, said her boyfriend is not working and “things are really hard, hard, hard.”
“Timothy Harris told Obi, that is $30 million he gives Mr Brantley every year. Why he (Brantley) cannot use some of that money to help us, who are just struggling daily,” said Janice . “Most of my wages go into bills. It is going to be tough meeting those obligations,” said Ursula, who added: “Brantley needs to give all of the Four Seasons workers, the EC$500 Food Stamps (Poverty Alleviation Programme) they giving out.”
“He should even try to increase it to EC$600 or EC$800 for the Four Seasons workers for the next four months,” said Ursula.
Some 400 employees are without work during the four months closure while the resort gets an EC$40 million renovation. During the closure, workers were to be given a quarter of their wages or salaries.