( left ) Derrick Kellier, Minister of Labour and Social Security. - file

Gareth Manning, Gleaner Writer

Principals of the Spanish hotel group Fiesta are expected in the island today to continue discussions with the Ministry of Labour following protest action at the hotel site in Point, Hanover, last week.

Tempers broiled last week as workers protested against the shooting of a colleague by a police officer, while trying to get on to the site last Wednesday. The workers argued that they were being unfairly treated after management implemented a strict security system that forced them to show up for work half-an-hour earlier than they were supposed to. Several cars were damaged and at least four burnt.

This was the second such protest in a little over a month. In January workers protested against the slow payment of wages by the developers and the lack of toilet facilities and potable water on the site, which forced workers to use nearby bushes and the beach annexing the site as a lavatory.

Relations fizzled

Speaking with The Gleaner yesterday, Minister of Labour Derrick Kellier noted that relations between local workers and the developers fizzled due to a failure by the original manager to adhere to the Labour Ministry's guidelines.

"It's just that there has been some [inability] on the part of the original manager of the project to adhere to those guidelines that the ministry had put forward," he said. "And if they had adhered to those then we would not be in this position," he continued.

He said discussions with both the principals and contractors should be completed by Thursday and work should restart on the construction site. He said work was also under way to improve hygiene on the site and should be completed before work restarts.

"The water situation has now been solved by the National Water Commission, all the facilities are now fully in place and by Wednesday water will be available in abundance to the site," he said.

Mr. Kellier noted that there were some management decisions to be made by the Fiesta principals and those decisions would be made by Thursday.

He said a protocol to guide relations on the site will also be developed and the advice of trade unions will also be sought for further labour relations on the site.

"Based on the mood of the meeting, there is going to be full cooperation down the road and no difficulty," Minister Kellier assured.