JAMAICA: Bustamante Industrial Trade Union Wants Royalton Negril Resort And Spa Closed

The Bustamante Industrial Trade Union (BITU) has called for the closure of the construction site at the Royalton Negril Resort and Spa, formerly the Grand Lido, in Negril, Westmoreland, pending an investigation into this morning’s collapse of a building.

In a statement issued Tuesday afternoon, BITU president, Senator Kavan Gayle, said that the Ministry of Labour and Social Security (MLSS) should see to the closure of the construction site, pending a full investigation into the incident and implementation of necessary changes to protect the safety and health of the workers.

Senator Gayle said that the collapse of the building raises several questions about the quality of work being carried out; whether or not the building material being used is sub-standard; and whether the contractors involved are observing proper safety standards.

“It must never be viewed that our construction workers are disposable, and we must also take into consideration the challenges facing the sector, including the lengthy delay in introducing the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA), which has been in gestation for some 15 years now,” Senator Gayle said.

He stated that the delay in providing this level of protection for workers has encouraged violations of building norms, especially at this time when foreign investors are insisting on importing workers from their bases to speed up the construction of new hotel buildings and additions to current ones, and other actions which have undermined the construction industry and the workers and have violated traditional trade union rights.

He said that he has taken note of the recent commitment by the new Minister of Labour and Social Security, Shahine Robinson, to speed up the process of passing the Act, but noted that this had also been the position of her predecessors over the past decade.

Senator Gayle suggested that, in the meantime, the minister seek to upgrade the inspectorate division of the ministry to ensure timely monitoring of construction sites.

He also noted that historically, workers have suffered loss of life and injury due to the on-site accidents, but no one has ever been held responsible or accountable or even prosecuted for failing to provide the necessary protection, which is a global norm.

Senator Gayle said that in light of this, the union is requesting the closure of the site pending a full investigation followed by efforts to improve the occupational safety of the workers.

JAMAICA: Tourism Ministry Heads To Royalton Negril After Building Collapse

Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett has dispatched a high-level team from the ministry to visit the Royalton Negril Resort and Spa in Westmoreland, where a section of the building which is under construction, collapsed this morning injuring several workers, some of whom are now trapped.

The ministry said the property, which is located on the site of the former Grande Lido Negril, is currently being renovated.

Minister Bartlett, who is overseas on official business, said: “We are very concerned about the safety and well-being of the construction workers and hope that they will all make it through this ordeal. They are in my prayers.

“As part of the ministry’s emergency response mechanism, I am sending a team to visit the property immediately and provide whatever assistance they can,” he said. “The team will also report to me regarding the situation on the ground.”

The team is being led by the Ministry of Tourism’s senior director of technical services, David Dobson, and includes Chairman of the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo) Ian Dea, Executive Director of TPDCo Dennis Hickey, Director of Tourism Paul Pennicook, Senior Communications Strategist Delano Seiveright, and other government officials.

Minister Bartlett is currently participating in the 103rd Session of the Executive Council of the UNWTO, which is being held at the Trade Fairs and Congress Center of Málaga, Spain from May 9-11, 2016.

The minister is being accompanied by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, Jennifer Griffith. He will return to the island on Sunday, May 15.