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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2017
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Increased notice periods for redundancies on the table
By NATARIO MCKENZIE Tribune Business Reporter nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net
T
he Labour Department is formulating amendments to the national Employment Act which include an increase in the notice period for redundancies, Labour Minister Dion Foulkes told Tribune Business yesterday. Mr Foulkes said: “There are several amendments to the Employment Act we intend to propose. One of the biggest issues
from the unions point of view was to increase the notice period for employees upon being made redundant and that is something the Tripartite Council is actively considering.” The former Christie administration had sought to make it mandatory for employers to provide two months’ (60 days) notice to government and the relevant bargaining agent (trade union) whenever they are about to make 10 or more workers redundant, with failing to do so becoming a criminal offence. “There are some other amendments we intend to
DION FOULKES
pursue that are not before the Council as yet but the legal team at the Labour Department are formulating the amendments to the Employment Act,” said Mr Foulkes. The Minnis administration has pledged to remove the redundancy cap of 12 years for workers’ compensation. “In this term in office we pledge to move the redundancy cap of 12 years for workers’ compensation, and institute a new cap after consultation with the Tripartite Council,” Mr Foulkes previously stated said.
At present, line staff remain entitled to a maximum of 24 weeks or six months’ redundancy pay, gaining two weeks for each year they have been employed up to the 12-year ‘cap’. Managers remain at a maximum of 48 weeks, or one month for every year worked up to 12 years. The redundancy cap was a key contention between employers and the trade unions when Employment Act reforms were introduced earlier this year under the former Christie administration.
‘BEND TO FOREIGN INVESTMENT OR GO BANKRUPT’ By NATARIO MCKENZIE Tribune Business Reporter nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net A BAHAMIAN businessman and leading governance reform advocate yesterday slammed opponents of the Commercial Enterprises Bill (CBE), arguing ‘xenophobic and myopic thinking’ will ‘send the country bankrupt’. Robert Myers, a principal with Organisation for Responsible
Governance (ORG) argued immigration fears being stoked over the CBE were likely politically motivated or due to a lack of understanding of the issues. “The government has to make a determination as to where and how it is going to stimulate the economy. There may be people complaining about the immigration aspect to that but I think that is probably being politicised. You’re going to need foreign
Do No Approve party questions new bill’s benefits By NATARIO MCKENZIE Tribune Business Reporter nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net WHILE voicing its support for government initiatives aimed at improving the ease of doing business in the country, the Democratic National Alliance (DNA) yesterday queried how the Commercial Enterprises Bill (CEB) would benefit Bahamian businesses. The Minnis administration has argued the Bill
“seeks to build a stronger and more stable economy”. But in a statement the DNA said: “The DNA supports government initiatives aimed at improving the ease of doing business in The Bahamas and making The Bahamas’ business environment more investor friendly. However, we find it curious that this legislation is being pushed ahead of other pressing matters confronting the Bahamian
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Mindset not money the key to success By NATARIO MCKENZIE Tribune Business Reporter nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net THE lack of funding is ‘not fatal’ to the pursuit of the entrepreneurial dream a well-known, accountant and banker stated yesterday. Hubert Edwards’ advice came at a press conference to promote the Success Summit 2017 scheduled for December 2 at SuperClubs Breezes. He said: “I have come to appreciate that funding is never a limitation. What is more important is that you have a mindset for success
and you surround yourself with the right people. Not having money is not fatal to pursuing your entrepreneurial dream. I think that is very important for people to know.” Mr Edwards was joined by Valentino Munroe, the Jumbey Cafe proprietor who urged entrepreneurs to develop their ideas. “We have always been told that you need to have money to make money. I would say there is no shortage of money just a shortage of great ideas. How do you develop an idea with no money and have the
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direct investment and foreigners who have the ability to bring capital into the country. We’re facing a failing financial industry and the average person not in that business may not understand that. The government needs to improve conditions for Bahamians and stimulating the economy outside of education is the single most important thing the government needs to be focused on,” said Mr Myers.
The Minnis administration has stated the Commercial Enterprises Bill will ensure “that Bahamians are the priority,” despite the fact it will “liberalise the granting of work permits” to foreign companies. Officially known as an Act for the Designation of Specified Commercial Enterprises and Specified Economic Zones in The Bahamas, the Commercial Enterprises Bill “seeks to liberalise the granting
of work permits to an enterprise that wishes to establish itself in the Bahamas, and requires work permits for its management team and key personnel.” The company’s investment however must be a minimum of $250,000. As previously reported by Tribune Business, if passed into law as is, the legislation would enable a “specified commercial enterprise”
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